Nihang held for rape bid at Golden Temple

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 25

A Nihang Singh allegedly tried to sexually assault a seven-year-old girl at the Golden Temple complex here last evening. A case was registered at the Kotwali police station today.

Sources said the victim along with her family, including her father and brother, which belonged to Goindwal Sahib, had come to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple. As they got late in the evening, the family decided to stay at the shrine. They slept near Manji Sahib Diwan Hall.

Her father raised the alarm when he found the girl missing in the middle of the night. When some devotees carried out a search in the shrine complex, they heard the cries of the girl. They reportedly found that a Nihang Singh was trying to rape the girl.

They caught hold of the accused, identified as Swarn Singh of Fatehgarh Sabran village in Ferozepur, and thrashed him before handing him over to the police.

Parampal Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (City-I), said the accused had been arrested. He said the medical examination of the girl was being conducted.

Amandeep Singh Brar, Assistant Commissioner of Police, said a case under Sections 376, 511 of the IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act had been registered against the culprit.