Amritsar, June 6:Tossing of turbans, brandishing of swords and altercation between the pro-Khalistan supporters and the police were witnessed during the ceremony to mark the 35th anniversary of Operation Bluestar at the Golden Temple complex.
Police personnel present inside the shrine complex in plainclothes controlled the situation from getting out of hand.
Akal Takht Acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh delivered the customary public address from the podium of the Akal Takht.
As he finished the address, authorities played kirtan on the speakers, which disrupted the address supposed to be delivered by parallel Jathedar Dhyan Singh Mand, resulting in tempers running high.
The clash between radical Sikhs and the SGPC task force took an ugly turn when the former tried to gain entry to the barricades that were fixed right in front of the Akal Takht.
The incident took place about 100 feet from the sanctum sanctorum.
ACP JS Walia and his team were seen with folded hands requesting the Sikh activists to maintain peace, but in vain.
While raising secessionist slogans, they broke the police cordon and clashed with open swords.
The radical elements raised pro-Khalistan and anti-India slogans.
A turban was tossed on to the ground in the clash. Giani Harpreet Singh criticised the ruckus created in the shrine complex saying it was “violation of maryada”.
