PATIALA, Punjab (September 4, 2014)—Baba Surjeet Singh, Jathedar of Buddha Dal has passed away. The Nihang Dal leader had been imprisoned for over six years in Patiala Central Jail, where other high profile political prisoners like Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana are kept. Whilst at Patiala jail, he is said to have suffered a lot of torture.
Baba Surjeet Singh was admitted at a hospital in Chandigarh, where he passed away due to ill health. While Baba Surjeet Singh was imprisoned, his followers had named Baba Joginder Singh as the acting Jathedar.
Baba Surjeet Singh had been imprisoned in relation to a number of cases, many of them on behest of Baba Balbir Singh, a rival Buddha Dal leader with close proximity with the State Government. While followers of Baba Surjeet Singh had alleged that cases registered against him are fabricated, Baba Balbir Singh escaped some deadly attacks reportedly planned by supporters of rival faction.