Shocked Punjab Police go back to 'Gatka' to counter Ajnala-like raids

Activists of Amritpal Singh's Waris Punjab De used sharp weapons, bricks and stones during the storming of the Ajnala police station last Friday. To counter such violent demonstrators in future, the Punjab Police are now being given training in age-old Gatka martial art once practised by Sikh warriors and militants.

Sri Muktsar Sahib (Punjab): Yet to recover from the Ajnala police station attack, the Punjab Police here are now revisiting the 'Gatka' martial art once followed by Nihang Sikh warriors in a bid to prepare the personnel to repel such surprise raids during protest demonstrations in future. Officials took a serious view of Waris Punjab De (heirs of Punjab) activists storming into the jail last Friday.

The State Police machinery was even more shocked by the manner in which the unruly demonstrators brazenly attacked and injured over six policemen in Ajnala. DGP Gaurav Yadav reacted strongly, saying that the protestors used sharp weapons, bricks and stones and adopted cowardly methods during the attack on the police station by using the revered Guru Granth Sahib as a cover.

To counter such unexpected situations, the Punjab Police decided to get the personnel well-trained in martial arts, especially Gatka. In the past, Sikh warriors and militants trained in Gatka to make themselves formidable and ruthless in warfare. Gatka is a wooden stick shaped in the form of a sword and used in battle training. About 3 feet long and a half inch thick, a typical Punjabi Gatka is fitted with a leather hilt, often decorated with colourful threads.

In the Ajnala incident, hundreds of lawless activists made a shocking attack on the police station. Amritpal Singh, chief of 'Waris Punjab De' , had also given an explanation on this. Amritpal Singh's supporters barged into the police station raising slogans for the release of Lovepreet Singh Toofan and enabling him to walk out of the jail there. Lovepreet Singh was a close aide of Amritpal Singh and he was accused in a kidnapping case.

The Police officials were perturbed that the Ajnala demonstrators promised to lead a peaceful protest before getting permission but later they turned violent and out of control. Now, the police personnel are set to be trained and prepared well in all respects to tackle attacks by unsuspecting groups like in Ajnala.