Samana, April 24
An activist in Punjab has ended a dramatic protest after spending more than 18 months atop a telecommunications tower, following the introduction of a new law on religious sacrilege.
Gurjeet Singh Khalsa, 43, climbed down from a 400-foot BSNL tower in Samana, near Patiala, on Friday morning. Officials said his descent marked the end of a 560-day sit-in that had drawn widespread attention across the state.
He had begun the protest in October 2024, calling for stricter punishment for acts of sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib, the central religious text of Sikhism.
Authorities, including teams from the army and fire services, had prepared for his safe return. After he came down, he was taken to hospital for a medical check-up as supporters gathered below, chanting religious slogans and showering him with flower petals.
The protest ended shortly after Punjab authorities notified a new law — the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026 — which proposes tougher penalties, including life imprisonment and fines of up to 2.5 million rupees for sacrilege offences. The bill had earlier been passed unanimously by the state assembly and approved by Governor Gulab Chand Kataria.
Khalsa, a resident of Kheri Nagaian village in Patiala district, had remained atop the tower through extreme weather, relying on supplies sent up by rope.
His protest, unusual in both duration and location, became a focal point for debate in Punjab over religious protection laws.
