Theft at Shivpuri Shamshan Ghat temple
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, January 1
Silver weighing around 3-4 kg was stolen from a Shivaling at Shivpuri Shamshan Ghat temple in Jalandhar Cantt in the wee hours on Friday. The police have lodged an FIR on the complaint of local residents and temple committee members and the search is on to find the miscreants.
According to the information procured from Surinder Singh, police chowki in-charge at Paragpur, some miscreants tried removing the silver cover from the Shivling but since they could not remove it, they fled with the Shivling around 2:30 am or so. The temple guards reported the incident in the morning, when they found the Shivling missing.
When asked if there were reports of sacrilege at the temple, Surinder Singh said it was a case of theft. He said sacrilege hadn’t been established as they scanned the CCTV footage and the case pertains to robbery only. While the silver cover and the Shivling was stolen, the base remains intact. The police also confirmed there was no other kind of damage or vandalism in any other part of the temple except theft.
He said an FIR under Section 380 of the IPC was registered and the case was further being investigated.
Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal said there seemed to be a pattern behind such acts. He said: “It is clear that some forces want to disturb peace in Punjab ahead of the Assembly elections. Attempts are being made to create communal strife.”
He said it was the responsibility of the Congress government to take a firm stand against such cases, including those which occurred at Darbar Sahib and Takth Keshgarh Sahib recently. “Any delay in doing so raises question mark on the intention of the Congress government,” he said.
