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Fazilka police name man, his son in FIR after picking them from Golden Temple

On Saturday, SGPC said the police action inside the Golden Temple was “inappropriate” and amounted to interference in management affairs.

4 min readAmritsarFeb 2, 2026 10:11 AM IST

Fazilka police detained a man and his son from the Golden Temple and later named them in a month-old Arms Act case, prompting criticism from the SGPC.

The police in Punjab’s Fazilka nominated a man and his son in an FIR lodged more than one month ago under the Arms Act after they were arrested from the premises of the Golden Temple in coordinated action of the police from three districts in an unprecedented manner last Friday.

Satwinder Singh and his son, Prince, residents of Mohan Ke Hithar village in the Ferozepur district, were detained at the Darbar Sahib premises, after which the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) criticised the police action.

On Saturday, SGPC said the police action was “inappropriate” and amounted to interference in management affairs.

“A large number of devotees from across the country and abroad visit Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib daily to pay obeisance. Taking anyone into custody…without informing the management is inappropriate and against the sentiments of the devotees,” Sardar Pratap Singh, SGPC Secretary, said in a statement.

It is the first such arrest after the 1988 police action inside Darbar Sahib during Operation Thunder.

In December last year, the police arrested an accused with a pistol in connection with the same First Information Report. The arrested man is in judicial custody.

Case under Arms Act

Satwinder and Prince were reportedly arrested by the police, who were in plain clothes, and were forcibly taken out without any information or coordination with SGPC, said Sardar Pratap Singh. The Tarn Taran and Amritsar police assisted the Fazilka police in making the arrests.

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After a court in Jalalabad granted four days’ police remand to both accused, the police took Prince to his village for investigation on Sunday.

“Both have been arrested in FIR number 204 registered last year. They have been nominated in FIR. So far, no recovery has been made. We are expecting recovery soon,” said Gursewak Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Jalalabad.

Their arrest stems from FIR No 204 dated December 21, 2025, registered under Section 25 of the Arms Act at Jalalabad Sadar Police Station, after a patrol team acting on a tip-off apprehended an accused, Kranti, near the Ghubaya village bus stand.

According to the police, a confidential informant alerted an ASI-led checking party that Kranti, son of Sunil Singh and a resident of Chak Bajida, was going towards Ghubaya, carrying an illegal pistol and that he was a habitual offender previously caught with an unauthorised weapon.

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Acting on the information, the police installed a checkpoint, intercepted the suspect, and recovered a 7.62 mm calibre pistol of Romanian make and marked PW Arms, Redmond, US, from him. They also recovered a magazine and two live cartridges, attracting provisions under sections 25, 54, and 59 of the Arms Act.

Kranti alleged a political vendetta in his bail application, which the Jalalabad court dismissed on January 13, 2026.

Police raid in village

Satwinder Singh’s wife, Lakhbir Kaur, said she, her husband, son, and mother-in-law, Rukman Devi, reached Darbar Sahib around 9.30 am Friday. As they went for the holy bath at around 10.30 am, Satwinder and Prince waited for them.

She said when they returned, both were missing, and their mobile phones were switched off. They went to the Joda Ghar, the place where people keep their shoes and waited, but they didn’t show up. “Then, someone advised us to go to Room No. 50 in the Parikrama. We met SGPC employees there, and gave them our contact number. After that, we returned to our village,” she said.

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Kaur said that when they reached the village, they found that the police had raided their house and broken the locks. She expressed fear that her husband and son had been taken into police custody, though no officer confirmed it to the family yet.

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Kaur said her husband had previously served a sentence in a land dispute case and was released on bail five or seven months ago. However, she dismissed rumours suggesting his involvement in illegal activities or links to Pakistan. She claimed her family doesn’t know about Kranti, the man arrested last year.

Gagan, the village Sarpanch, also confirmed that Satwinder had a criminal background, and that a police raid took place at their home.

Gurmeet Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police, Fazilka, didn’t take any questions.

Kamaldeep Singh Brar

Kamaldeep Singh Brar is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, primarily covering Amritsar and the Majha region of Punjab. He is one of the publication's key reporters for stories involving the Akal Takht, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), and the sensitive socio-political issues of the border districts. Core Beats & Specializations Religious & Panthic Affairs: He has deep expertise in the internal workings of the Akal Takht and SGPC, frequently reporting on religious sentences (Tankhah), Panthic politics, and the influence of Sikh institutions. National Security & Crime: His reporting covers cross-border drug smuggling, drone activities from Pakistan, and the activities of radical groups. Regional Politics: He is the primary correspondent for the Majha belt, covering elections and political shifts in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His work in late 2025 has been centered on judicial developments, local body elections, and religious controversies: 1. Religious Politics & Akal Takht "Akal Takht pronounces religious sentences against former Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh" (Dec 8, 2025): Covering the historic decision to hold the former Jathedar guilty for granting a pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in 2015. "YouTube suspends SGPC’s channel for a week over video on 1984 Army action" (Nov 20, 2025): Reporting on the digital friction between global tech platforms and Sikh religious bodies. "As AAP govt grants Amritsar holy tag, a look at its fraught demand" (Nov 28, 2025): An analytical piece on the long-standing demand for declaring Amritsar a "holy city" and its political implications. 2. Crime & National Security "Mostly Khalistanis on Amritpal’s hit list: Punjab govt to High Court" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on the state government's claims regarding jailed MP Amritpal Singh orchestrating activity from prison. "Punjab man with links to Pakistan’s ISI handlers killed in encounter" (Nov 20, 2025): Detailing a police operation in Amritsar involving "newly refurbished" firearms likely sent from across the border. "15 schools in Amritsar get bomb threat emails; police launch probe" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering the panic and police response to mass threats against educational institutions. 3. Political Analysis & Elections "AAP wins 12 of 15 zones in SAD stronghold Majitha" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant shift in the 2025 rural elections where the Akali Dal lost its grip on a traditional fortress. "Tarn Taran bypoll: woman faces threats after complaining to CM Mann about drug menace" (Nov 9, 2025): A ground report on the personal risks faced by citizens speaking out against the illegal drug trade in border villages. "AAP wins Tarn Taran bypoll, but SAD finds silver lining" (Nov 14, 2025): Analyzing the 2025 assembly by-election results and the surprising performance of Independents backed by radical factions. 4. Human Interest "Two couples and a baby: Punjab drug addiction tragedy has new victims" (Nov 20, 2025): A tragic investigative piece about parents selling an infant to fund their addiction. "Kashmiri women artisans debut at Amritsar’s PITEX" (Dec 8, 2025): A feature on financial independence initiatives for rural women at the Punjab International Trade Expo. Signature Beat Kamaldeep is known for his nuanced understanding of border dynamics. His reporting often highlights the "drug crisis in the underprivileged localities" (like Muradpur in Tarn Taran, Nov 9, 2025), providing a voice to marginalized communities affected by addiction and administrative neglect. X (Twitter): @kamalsbrar ... Read More

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