Protests, condemnation as man attacks granthis, desecrates Guru Granth Sahib at historic shrine

Ten to 15 people, including women, who were present inside the gurdwara overpowered the man and thrashed him. He was then handed over to police.

Karamjeet Singh, a granthi in the gurdwara and an eyewitness, told The Indian Express that the incident took place around 1.30 pm when Akhand Path was in progress inside the shrine.

“This man regularly used to visit the gurdwara. On Monday, when he entered the santum sanctorum, he was wearing socks, which are prohibited inside the gurdwara,” said Karamjeet Singh and added that the granthis who were attacked did not know the man personally.

As the news spread, locals launched a protest at Morinda-Ropar Road seeking strict punishment for the accused. The angry protesters demanded that the accused be handed over to them. Markets were also shut down in Morinda, with police saying that some protesters also pelted stones at the house of the accused in the town.

Senior police officials, including IG Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, reached Morinda to take stock of the situation. Police said based on a complaint by Gurpreet Singh, one of the granthis who was assaulted, Bhangu has been booked under IPC sections 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (assault) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Morinda (city) police station.

Ropar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vivek Sheel Soni said they are investigating the incident. Asked whether the accused was mentally unfit, the SSP said the details will be clear soon.

The Sikh clergy, meanwhile, expressed shock over the incident and sought exemplary punishment in the matter.
Calling it “an unfortunate incident,” Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh asked the state government to take strict action against the accused. He further said that until exemplary punishment is not ensured in the incident, sacrilege incidents will not stop.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Harjinder Singh Dhami said it was sad that the incidents of sacrilege are not stopping.

“If there is anger in the society against a person caught committing sacrilege, then he/she is often saved by referring to the law, while on the other hand, due to lax action by the police, the accused will come out after some time. This is a big question for governments which they cannot avoid,” Dhami said.

“This person (accused) should not be spared under any circumstances and the police administration should set an example by taking strict action,” he added, while warning the government and the police against “try to cover up the heart-wrenching incident”.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said he has directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to ensure that the probe into the matter is expedited and the guilty is brought to the book.

“The Morinda incident is highly condemnable. It has bruised the psyche of every individual who has faith in Guru Granth Sahib,” Mann said and added that “exemplary punishment will be ensured” to perpetrators of the heinous crime.

While urging people to exercise restraint, Mann asserted that the Guru Granth Sahib is supreme for every individual and no one will be allowed to disturb the hard-earned peace in the state.

In a statement, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal termed the incident “traumatic, deeply disturbing and unforgivable”.

“The painful development smacks of a devious ploy by the badly cornered AAP govt to deflect attention from the ‘arrest’ yesterday of Amritpal Singh as well as from the state repression let loose against innocent Sikhs. It could also be an attempt to cover up the government’s failure to maintain peace and communal harmony in Punjab,” he alleged.

Reacting to the incident, former chief minister and BJP leader Capt Amarinder Singh tweeted, “The beadbi incident is highly condemnable. I urge Punjab Police to immediately arrest the perpetrator of this heinous crime and award the strictest punishment possible.”

Congress MLA and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa also urged the state government to give strict punishment to the accused. He also appealed to the “Sangat to maintain peace and harmony at all costs”.