Punjab bandh over release of Sikh prisoners evokes mixed response

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Police personnel stand guard amid heightened security at the Chandigarh-Mohali border ahead of a 'Punjab bandh' call, in Chandigarh, on August 21, 2026. | Photo Credit: PTI

The State-wide shutdown (bandh) called by the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha on Friday (August 21, 2026) to demand the release of Sikh prisoners held in various jails across the country evoked a mixed response in Punjab.

Normal life in Punjab was disrupted, with shops and commercial establishments remaining fully or partially closed in rural areas. In major cities, including Patiala, Ludhiana and Jalandhar, shops and other commercial establishments were partially closed.

Protesters were seen asking the shops to shut down in Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala and Mohali. They squatted and parked vehicles on roads, including national and state highways, in several places, disrupting vehicular traffic and causing inconvenience to the public.

As buses stayed off the roads in response to the shutdown, commuters faced problems travelling. Heavy police deployment has been made at many places in the State, including Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and other parts of the State, to maintain law and order. The call was observed from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m..

The Qaumi Insaf Morcha is a protest movement that has been campaigning for the release of long-incarcerated Sikh prisoners (Bandi Singhs).

The Morcha leaders claim that several Sikh prisoners continue to be imprisoned even though they have completed their sentences. They have been demanding the granting of parole to Jagtar Singh Hawara, a member of the banned terrorist outfit Babbar Khalsa terrorist, who is serving a life sentence for the 1995 assassination of then Chief Minister Beant Singh, among others.

Different organisations, including the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit) and Shiromani Akali Dal Waris Punjab De have extended their support to the shutdown call.

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