Priest gets extortion threat, case registered

Amritsar, September 30

A priest (also head) of a temple at Kale Ghanupur village falling under the Chheharta police station got an extortion threat written in Punjabi on a Pakistani’s currency note here on Friday.

A former cop, the victim, Ashnil Kumar of Bala Ji Dhama temple, lodged a complaint with the Chheharta police station in this regard. After registering an FIR, the police began a probe in this connection.

Ashnil Kumar told the police that on Friday, members of the temple management committee were counting the collection when they found the currency note with an extortion threat written on it. He said the unidentified person had demanded Rs 5 crore extortion.

In the threat note, the miscreant wrote that “Ashnil we had asked you a number of times, but you did not mend your ways. Keep Rs 5 crore ready otherwise you would be eliminated”.

In the complaint, he stated that the temple management committee members counted the donations every week. He said the footage of the CCTVs were handed over to the police. There were five donation boxes in the temple. He said this was not the first time that he had received such a threat. He said the police had registered a case and launched further probe in the case.

Nishan Singh, SHO, Chheharta police station, said investigations were on to identify the suspect. A case has been registered, added the SHO.