Bathinda: In an apparent effort to cool tempers of some radical Sikh outfits demanding the arrest of Dera Sacha Sauda chief, Punjab police today moved a local court seeking arrest warrants against sect head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs.

Punjab police filed an application before duty magistrate K L Khitchi seeking arrest warrants against the dera chief. "After proper investigations, we have sufficient evidence against the head of Dera Sacha Sauda about his involvemnet in hurting religious sentiments of Sikhs," Bathinda SSP Naunihal Singh told PTI.

The application seeking arrest warrants for the head of Dera Sacha Sauda had been admitted in the court, he said adding the court was examining the application before handing down any order. The police decision to move court came a day ahead of the planned march by Sant Samaj, an umberalla organisation comprising some radical Sikh groups, inclduing Damdami Taksal, demanding the immediate arrest of head of Dera Sacha Sauda.

Sant Samaj and Damdami Taksal chief Harnam Singh Khalsa, who is a descandant of late militant Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwale, said activists of Samaj would assemble at Fatehgarh Sahib tomorrow and march in a procession to Chandigarh where they would court arrest seeking action against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

"Police has just moved the court seeking arrest warrants...the head of Dera must be arrested for his blasphemous act," he said. Police had beefed up security to prevent any untoward incident.