Torn pages of ‘bir’ found in canal

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, September 24

Tension gripped the city after torn pages of Guru Granth Sahib were found floating in a canal near Sher Singh Colony on the Jalandhar-Kala Sanghian road this morning.

The incident came to light when a local resident, Shamsher Singh, spotted the torn pages and raised the alarm. A number of Sikh youths gathered at the spot and jumped into the canal to retrieve the pages.

Sources said around 200 pages of the holy book were recovered. They said the youths also found a page from the Hindu holy book, Gita.

Demanding the arrest of the miscreants for hurting the sentiments of the Sikh community, members of the Sikh Talmel Committee sat on a dharna at Kapurthala Chowk, resulting in traffic chaos. Congress leader Sushil Rinku and BJP leader Robin Sampla too joined the protest.

Senior police officers, including AS Power, ADCP, HS Mander, ADCP, RPS Sandhu, ADCP and SHOs of various police stations, reached the spot. The police have begun the investigations and are looking for CCTV footage to identify the miscreants.

The protesters have put up tents at the Kapurthala Chowk and set up community kitchen to serve langar. The dharna by Sikh organisations started at 11 am and was still on till the filing of this report.

Power said a case against unknown persons had been registered and the police were trying to identify the culprits.

Kanwarpal Singh of the Dal Khalsa said a series of sacrilege incidents were reported in September last year and now it started again. He alleged that the culprits were not being caught due to the failure of the government.

Will nab culprits: Sukhbir

Such heinous acts deserve widespread condemnation. The culprits should be given exemplary punishment. — Sukhbir Badal, Deputy Chief Minister

Govt’s failure: Capt

The aim is to disturb peace in the state. The Badal-led government had failed to act in earlier such cases. Once the culprits are allowed to go scot-free, they get emboldened to commit more such acts. — Capt Amarinder Singh, PPCC chief 

No will to act: Ghuggi

Had the government been serious in solving earlier cases, nobody would have dared to commit such a condemnable act again. — Gurpreet Ghuggi, AAP state convener

Act immediately: Makkar

The culprits have hurt the sentiments of the Sikhs and they must be brought to book immediately. Their aim is to disturb harmony and peace. — Avtar Singh Makkar, SGPC president