Sacrilege at Kapurthala Gurdwara: 36 hours on, no lynching case filed

🔴 On Monday, police, apparently focussed on establishing the identity of the deceased, sent his images to all police stations across the country.

Written by: Anju Agnihotri Chaba, Kamaldeep Singh Brar

3 min readAmritsar, JalandharUpdated: Dec 21, 2021 07:25 AM IST

Civil Hospital Senior Medical Officer, Dr Sandip Dhawan, said there are more than eight deep sharp cuts which were likely inflicted by swords.

More than 36 hours after a man was killed by a mob in the presence of police, including Kapurthala SSP, on suspicion of sacrilege at gurdwara of Nizampur village in Kapurthala, no case of lynching has yet been registered.

On Monday, police, apparently focussed on establishing the identity of the deceased, sent his images to all police stations across the country. SSP Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh told The Indian Express the lynching case will be investigated under the same FIR registered under Section 295 (a) (hurting religious sentiments) on the complaint of granthi Amarjit Singh on Sunday.

For police, Khakh said, the first priority is to establish the identity of the victim within 72 hours for carrying out a postmortem examination for conducting his last rites. A police team is also contacting their counterparts in other states, officers said. They will preserve the required samples to conduct the DNA test later.

Khakh said a woman from Patna had called the Amritsar SHO claiming that the man killed in Amritsar was her brother, but she later said that the person killed in Kapurthala was her brother. “But when we shared the identification marks with her, she said there were no such marks. She told that her brother was very fair while the man killed in Kapurthala gurdwara was a little dark-complexioned,” the SSP said.

Civil Hospital Senior Medical Officer, Dr Sandip Dhawan, said there are more than eight deep sharp cuts which were likely inflicted by swords. In Amritsar, police on Monday released a picture of the accused booked for sacrilege and attempt to murder at Sri Harmandar Sahib (Golden Temple).

According to Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the unidentified man died in “beating by Sangat” after he allegedly committed sacrilege.

Videos of granthi being investigated

Amritsar: Police believe a video featuring granthi Amarjit Singh instigated members of Sikh organisations, which went to the gurdwara and raised tension to such an extent that despite the presence of large a force under the command of Kapurthala SSP, the man was lynched. SSP Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh said they are aware of the videos on social media and are looking into their role in the lynching.

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In one of the videos, the granthi was heard purportedly saying they have caught a youth who had come to commit sacrilege at Nizampur gurdwara and purportedly appealed Sikh organisations to assemble at the gurudwara and punish this “dusht” (bad element) “as per our religion”.

In another video clip, the granthi purportedly said although the man was not able to reach where Parkash of Guru Granth Sahib is done and where the Five Saroops of Guru Granth Sahib were kept, when he was able to enter the adjoining room, he could well have gone inside and committed sacrilege. —ENS

Kamaldeep Singh Brar

Kamaldeep Singh Brar is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, primarily covering Amritsar and the Majha region of Punjab. He is one of the publication's key reporters for stories involving the Akal Takht, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), and the sensitive socio-political issues of the border districts. Core Beats & Specializations Religious & Panthic Affairs: He has deep expertise in the internal workings of the Akal Takht and SGPC, frequently reporting on religious sentences (Tankhah), Panthic politics, and the influence of Sikh institutions. National Security & Crime: His reporting covers cross-border drug smuggling, drone activities from Pakistan, and the activities of radical groups. Regional Politics: He is the primary correspondent for the Majha belt, covering elections and political shifts in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His work in late 2025 has been centered on judicial developments, local body elections, and religious controversies: 1. Religious Politics & Akal Takht "Akal Takht pronounces religious sentences against former Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh" (Dec 8, 2025): Covering the historic decision to hold the former Jathedar guilty for granting a pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in 2015. "YouTube suspends SGPC’s channel for a week over video on 1984 Army action" (Nov 20, 2025): Reporting on the digital friction between global tech platforms and Sikh religious bodies. "As AAP govt grants Amritsar holy tag, a look at its fraught demand" (Nov 28, 2025): An analytical piece on the long-standing demand for declaring Amritsar a "holy city" and its political implications. 2. Crime & National Security "Mostly Khalistanis on Amritpal’s hit list: Punjab govt to High Court" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on the state government's claims regarding jailed MP Amritpal Singh orchestrating activity from prison. "Punjab man with links to Pakistan’s ISI handlers killed in encounter" (Nov 20, 2025): Detailing a police operation in Amritsar involving "newly refurbished" firearms likely sent from across the border. "15 schools in Amritsar get bomb threat emails; police launch probe" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering the panic and police response to mass threats against educational institutions. 3. Political Analysis & Elections "AAP wins 12 of 15 zones in SAD stronghold Majitha" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant shift in the 2025 rural elections where the Akali Dal lost its grip on a traditional fortress. "Tarn Taran bypoll: woman faces threats after complaining to CM Mann about drug menace" (Nov 9, 2025): A ground report on the personal risks faced by citizens speaking out against the illegal drug trade in border villages. "AAP wins Tarn Taran bypoll, but SAD finds silver lining" (Nov 14, 2025): Analyzing the 2025 assembly by-election results and the surprising performance of Independents backed by radical factions. 4. Human Interest "Two couples and a baby: Punjab drug addiction tragedy has new victims" (Nov 20, 2025): A tragic investigative piece about parents selling an infant to fund their addiction. "Kashmiri women artisans debut at Amritsar’s PITEX" (Dec 8, 2025): A feature on financial independence initiatives for rural women at the Punjab International Trade Expo. Signature Beat Kamaldeep is known for his nuanced understanding of border dynamics. His reporting often highlights the "drug crisis in the underprivileged localities" (like Muradpur in Tarn Taran, Nov 9, 2025), providing a voice to marginalized communities affected by addiction and administrative neglect. X (Twitter): @kamalsbrar ... Read More

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