Gurjeet Singh Khalsa brought down from 400-foot BSNL tower in Patiala after 560 days protest

In Samana, activist Gurjeet Singh Khalsa, who had been perched atop a 400-foot BSNL tower for nearly 560 days demanding stricter laws against sacrilege in Punjab, was finally brought down on Friday morning, officials said.

The dramatic protest, which began on October 12, 2024, came to an end after Khalsa (43) descended from the tower in Samana near Patiala. He had climbed the structure seeking stringent punishment for acts of sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib.

A joint team of firemen, police, and civil officials carried out the operation using a specialised crane-lift, according to a fire official from Patiala.


As he came down amid chants of ‘Sikh Jaikara’ and ‘Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal’, Khalsa was taken to a hospital in an ambulance for a medical checkup. Supporters welcomed him by showering flower petals.

"We have won," the activist from Kheri Nagaian village in Patiala district said as he stepped onto the ground.

"By the Guru's grace, I have come down safely after 18 months and 12 days. I thank the Punjab government," Khalsa said, expressing his gratitude to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan for enacting an anti-sacrilege law.

Khalsa also thanked the local administration for ensuring his safe descent.

He decided to end his protest after the Punjab government recently notified the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, which proposes stricter punishment — including life imprisonment and fines of up to Rs 25 lakh — for acts of sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib.

The protest had drawn widespread attention across Punjab due to its unusual nature and the extreme conditions Khalsa endured, remaining atop the tower through harsh winters and intense summers.

Essential supplies were sent up to him using ropes, and he lived in a makeshift tarpaulin shelter, even using a polythene bag for basic needs.

Harinderpal Singh, an assistant fire officer in Patiala, said, "We conducted the operation with the help of the district administration and police. Firemen, a sub-officer and two station officers were involved in it.

"As we had to reach a considerable height to bring him down, we used chains and links, a safety belt and a turntable ladder."

During the operation, Khalsa was secured with a safety belt while a fireman remained stationed below for added safety.

"First, he was brought down to a platform built above the ground level, after which we used the turntable ladder to get him down," the fire officer said.

A farmer by profession, Khalsa had been demanding stronger legal provisions to curb ‘beadbi’ (sacrilege) and protect the sanctity of the Guru Granth Sahib.

Under the new law, anyone found guilty of sacrilege faces a minimum of seven years’ imprisonment, which can extend up to 20 years, along with a fine ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

In cases involving criminal conspiracy aimed at disturbing peace or communal harmony, the punishment increases to a minimum of 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment, along with fines starting from Rs 5 lakh and going up to Rs 25 lakh.