Punjab: Ahead of rural polls, gangster-turned-politician Gurpreet Sekhon arrested

Ferozepur, Dec 12 (PTI) Ahead of the zila parishad and panchayat samiti polls, gangster-turned-politician Gurpreet Singh Sekhon has been taken into custody with police calling it as a "preventive measure".

Two of Sekhon's family members are contesting the polls as Independent candidates from Ferozeshah and Bazidpur zones. The Shiromani Akali Dal has extended its support to these candidates.

Sekhon was arrested late Thursday night. Several of his supporters on Friday held a protest outside the Kulgarhi police station, blocked the Ferozepur-Ludhiana road and raised slogans against police and the AAP government while demanding his release.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (Rural) Karan Sharma said Sekhon was arrested due to preventive measures along with his two other accomplices.

"Today, he will be produced in the SDM court for further proceedings", said the DSP.

Few hours before his arrest, Sekhon had uploaded a video on social media and anticipated the police action against him.

In the video, he said that the police was under pressure, because the local leaders of the ruling AAP were scared due to the overwhelming support he was getting from the people.

SAD district president Joginder Singh Jindu said that it was the height of "anarchy" as AAP was "destroying the democratic system in the state by indulging in witch hunting".

"It is clear now that the local AAP MLA has accepted his defeat due to which he has taken this step under frustration", alleged Jindu.

"We are getting tremendous support from the electorate in this Zila Parishad polls due to which the AAP leadership has now resorted to using police force to browbeat us", said Arshdeep Singh, one of the Sekhon's team member, adding that Sekhon's candidates will win these elections as the public support was with him.

Earlier, Sekhon also had announced that he would contest the 2027 Punjab assembly polls.

He had stated that he had forgotten his past, and was now looking forward to serve the people of his area.

Sekhon was one of the accused in the sensational Nabha jailbreak incident in 2016 when the SAD-BJP government was in power. Sekhon along with five criminals and two terrorists were freed by 16 criminals after the launched an attack on the prison.

The zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections in Punjab are scheduled for December 14. The counting of votes will be taken up three days after the polls. PTI COR CHS NB NB