The Patiala administration, along with army officials, successfully brought down Punjab farmer Gurjeet Singh Khalsa, 43, who ended his 560-day protest atop a 400-ft BSNL tower Friday morning .

The joint operation took around 30 minutes, with additional teams deployed by the army and district police for Khalsa’s safe evacuation.

“I am in Chardi Kala (high spirits),” said Khalsa, who thanked the gathering for their support to the noble cause.

“It’s not been easy, but my faith in my guru made it possible,” he said.

A senior official in the rescue operation confirmed that since the wind speed was ideal and the sunlight was good, the operation was conducted smoothly using a crane and human assistance.

On Thursday, a nine-member team comprising army, police, fire department and administrative officers visited the spot and then used a high-tech crane to reach a height of around 275-feet where Khalsa was perched.

On Wednesday, the Punjab government had requested assistance from the Army to evacuate Khalsa.

Khalsa on Sunday had agreed to climb down the tower he had mounted, seeking an anti-sacrilege law in October 2024. The development came hours after Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria gave his nod to the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026, paving the way for the enactment of the law.

Meanwhile, Samana tower morcha members are holding an akhand path near the protest site at Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Chowk, with the dharna ending on the day of the bhog on Friday.

A resident of Kheri Nagaiyan village in Patiala, Khalsa told The Tribune that he would wait for the bhog of the akhand path to conclude and come down in the presence of people who had been protesting in his support.

Atop the tower, he was living in a tarpaulin shelter, with two caretakers bringing food and water once a day. He used a polythene bag to relieve himself. In the absence of any physical activity, his blood pressure and sugar levels fluctuated at times. A dairy owner and farmer by profession, he said his religious sentiments were hurt reading about sacrilege incidents in the state.

In 2024, he decided that his brother would take care of the business and the family when he chose the path of struggle. His son Ashmeet Singh passed his matriculation examination last year.