Patiala, April 23 -- The Patiala administration has sought the army's help to safely bring down activist Gurjeet Singh Khalsa, 43, who has been sitting atop a 400-ft BSNL tower for the past 560 days in Samana, demanding stringent punishment for sacrilege incidents, officials said. Khalsa climbed the tower on October 12, 2024 and is expected to come down on April 24. Punjab government notified the amended anti-sacrilege law, the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, which proposes stricter punishment, including life imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs.25 lakh, for any act of sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib on Monday. The Patiala deputy commissioner, Himanshu Aggarwal, on Tuesday, wrote to the Punjab government requesting technical support from the army, citing the risks involved in bringing down an individual stationed at such a height for an extended period. "It is submitted that an individual is presently stationed atop a high-rise telecom tower located in Samana as part of a prolonged protest. The height of the structure is approximately 400ft, and the individual has remained positioned there for a considerable duration," the letter stated. Patiala additional deputy commissioner Damandeep Singh Mann said, "Considering his health, we want to make foolproof arrangements for his safe descent." The ADC said army is conducting a feasibility assessment. htc...