Security up at Golden Temple

Amritsar, December 19

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has bolstered security in and around the Golden Temple, a development following the “sacrilege” attempt at the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine.

It is learnt that the SGPC was considering to form an intelligence wing of its own.

Meanwhile, the SGPC has also initiated an ‘akhand path’ for remorse of the incident that took place during the evening prayers on Saturday evening. Deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa categorically directed the police to have active liaison with the SGPC and all gurdwaras committees and ensure that the saroops of Guru Granth Sahib are not left unattended at any time. He also issued directions to the DGP, all Commissioners of Police and SSPs to strengthen round-the-clock security around all religious places.

SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said the committee relied more on their own men for security than the police. He said the committee had a “dedicated and efficient staff that knows how to take care of the sanctity of the shrine”.

He lauded the alertness of sangat and SGPC employees in apprehending the accused, who came to commit sacrilege, and said the staff posted inside the sanctum sanctorum performed their duty with vigilance.

“Had there been an exemplary punishment by the police in sacrilege incidents in the past, nobody could have dared to attempt any such incident,” he said, condemning the attempt to commit sacrilege at a gurdwara in Kapurthala. — TNS