Man who called Bhagat terrorist held

CHANDIGARH: Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann was arrested on Thursday for “spreading hatred” in society. A case had been registered against him after he described martyr Bhagat Singh as a “petty terrorist” at a function in Patiala early this week.

His remarks had sparked a row in the state with many political leaders demanding that the state government take stern action against him. A former IPS officer, Mann was picked up from his house in Fatehgarh Sahib. He has been arrested a second time since the Akali Dal-BJP government came to power in February. Earlier, he was taken into custody for putting a garland of shoes on the statue of ex-Congress CM Beant Singh.

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