Chandigarh, Sept. 4 -- Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president and former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, along with other accused, appeared before a Chandigarh court on Thursday in connection with the Kotkapura police firing and other cases linked to sacrilege incidents.

The Kotkapura firing took place on October 14, 2015, following protests over incidents of sacrilege at gurdwaras in Bargari and Burj Jawahar Singh Wala villages in June and September that year. Police allegedly opened fire on protesters who were demonstrating against the alleged sacrilege incidents. The related firing at Behbal Kalan resulted in the deaths of two protesters, while several others were injured in the Kotkapura firing.

During the previous he...