A man accused of attempted sacrilege at the Golden Temple in Amritsar has died. The man was lynched by a group of Sikhs after he was seen trying to enter the reserved area where the Guru Granth Sahib is kept, said Punjab Police.
Punjab Home Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has confirmed that the person apprehended inside the Darbar Sahib in Amritsar had died.
According to the police, the man was seen jumping over a railing inside the Golden Temple during the Rehraas Sahib Paath (evening prayers). He then picked up a sword which was kept in front of the Guru Granth Sahib inside the reserved area, which is open exclusively for Granthi Sikhs.
This was when a group of Sikhs overpowered the man and lynched him.
“Today, a 24-25-year-old man barged inside [Golden Temple] where the holy book [Guru Granth Sahib] is kept. He tried desecrating it with a sword; was taken out by Sangat people; died in the altercation,” said Parminder Singh Bhandal, DCP (law and order), Amritsar (city).
Singh said, “The body of the dead person has been taken for post mortem. It seems he was alone at the time.”
Executive member of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Bhai Gurpreet Singh Randhawa took to social media to say, “I condemn the unfortunate incident at Shri Amritsar Sahib, Punjab Government should investigate immediately.”
BJP politician from Delhi Manjinder Singh Sirsa said he has taken up the matter with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. “Spoke to Home Minister Amit Shah, He has ensured support and investigation,” said Sirsa.
Former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal reacted to the incident at Amritsar’s Golden Temple and termed it as “deeply shocking and exceedingly painful”.
Badal said that the crime was too reprehensible for words and it has caused “deep anguish and outrage in the minds of the Sikh masses” all over the world.
Badal said that it was unbelievable that “such a painful and brazen crime could be committed at the holiest shrine of humanity” by a single individual, adding that the possibility of a deep-rooted conspiracy behind it could not be ruled out.
Badal also said that the “conspiracy” needed to be probed and exposed and those behind it must be given exemplary punishment.
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