Punjab Cops' Leave Cancelled Until April 14 Over Amritpal Singh: Sources

Punjab police has cancelled the leaves of all cops in the state till April 14 after radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh sought a meeting of the Sikhs later this month, said sources.

Amritpal, who has been evading arrest since his supporters overran a police station over the arrest of one of his aides, has asked the chiefs of the top Sikh body, Akal Takht, to convene the "sarbat khalsa" gathering in Punjab's Bathinda on the occasion of Baisakhi on April 14.

Until then, the leaves of all gazetted and non-gazetted officers has been cancelled, Punjab DGP said in a message to the officers, according to sources. All previously sanctioned leaves stand cancelled and the heads have been asked not to sanction any fresh leave till April 14.

The separatist's appeal for the congregation came in two video messages that surfaced last month. He also asked the jathedars (chiefs of Akal Takht) to take out a religious procession from the Akal Takht in Amritsar to Damadama Sahib in Bathinda ahead of the gathering on Baisakhi.