Archit Watts
Tribune News Service
Muktsar, December 28
A youth in his early twenties, who is said to be mentally challenged, allegedly tried to run away with the Guru Granth Sahib from a gurdwara at Ennakhera village in Malout subdivision here on Monday morning.
The gurdwara management first tried to hush up the matter and informed the police only after a number of locals gathered at the gurdwara on Monday night.
The gurdwara in the name of Baba Bidhi Chand is located in two rooms on the outskirts of the village, opened just a couple of days ago. This gurdwara is not under the control of the SGPC and does not have CCTV cameras.
Gurdwara granthi (priest) Gursewak Singh alleged that Arshdeep Singh, a resident of the village and son of a founder member of the gurdwara, had come to the gurdwara on Monday at about 9 am, first “disrespected” the weapons and then brought the Guru Granth Sahib in the open from the sanctum sanctorum. “I was in the other room and on seeing this immediately ran and overpowered him and managed to secure the Guru Granth Sahib. The Guru Granth Sahib is intact. The accused’s father has claimed that his son is mentally challenged and had once tried to kill him,” claimed the granthi.
Meanwhile, villagers demanded a probe in the incident. They said, “We doubt the youth is mentally challenged. The police should bring out the truth.”
Malout DSP Jaspal Singh Dhillon said, “An alleged attempt of desecration occurred at a gurdwara at Ennakhera village. The incident reportedly took place at about 9 am and we were informed after almost 12 hours. We have started an investigation and arrested the youth, who is said to be mentally challenged. The accused’s father is a baptised Sikh who had played a key role in the construction of the gurdwara.”
He added, “The accused’s family first took the youth to Baba Avtar Singh Sursinghwale. I have spoken to Baba Nihal Singh at Sursinghwale, who informed me that the youth is mentally challenged.”
Meanwhile, Gurnam Singh, sarpanch, Ennakhera village, said, “The accused is mentally challenged. He has been arrested.”
Sacrilege bid at gurdwara in Punjab's Muktsar; accused arrested
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