''Granthi'' among 2 held for sacrilege incidents in Amritsar, Ludhiana

AMRITSAR/LUDHIANA: Two persons, including a ‘granthi’ in a gurdwara, have been arrested in separate incidents of sacrilege in Amritsar and Ludhiana. Those arrested have been identified as Jagdeep Singh (30), a ''granthi'' in a gurdwara at Nijjapura village in Amritsar, and Balwinder Kaur (53) of Ludhiana.

Tribune News Service

Amritsar/Ludhiana, October 19

Two persons, including a ‘granthi’ in a gurdwara, have been arrested in separate incidents of sacrilege in Amritsar and Ludhiana.

Those arrested have been identified as Jagdeep Singh (30), a 'granthi' in a gurdwara at Nijjapura village in Amritsar, and Balwinder Kaur (53) of Ludhiana.

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Amritsar Senior Superintendent of Police (rural) Jasdeep Singh Saini said they received a call from the priest of a gurdwara at Nijjapura late last night that three persons had forcibly entered the shrine and tore pages of the holy book.

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“The statement of priest appeared false following which he was interrogated by police in front of other people working in the shrine,” he said.

‘Granthi’ Jagdeep Singh confessed that he had committed the crime and had tried to mislead the police, Saini said.

“The perpetrator of crime, who himself is granthi of the gurdwara, has been arrested,” the SSP said, adding the situation is under control.

Woman arrested in Ludhiana

Meanwhile, the Ludhiana city police have arrested a woman for alleged desecration of a ‘bir’ of Guru Granth Sahib at Ghawaddi gurdwara.

Balwinder Kaur entered the gurdwara around 4am on Monday and allegedly desecrated pages of Guru Granth Sahib.

When gurdwara ‘granthi’ Sikander arrived, Balwinder Kaur asked him whether the pages on the holy book are safe. After opening the Hukamnama, Sikandar told Balwinder Kaur that everything was fine.

Later, as Sikandar proceeded to read Guru Granth Sahib he found some pages torn.

Sikandar in connivance with Balwinder Kaur concocted a story and made an announcement at Ghawaddi gurdwara which led to tension in the city.

Commissioner of Police PS Umranangal said the woman and granthi have been booked. The police are probing why she desecrated the holy book. Balwinder Kaur was serving at the gurdwara for over two decades.
Her son Ranjit Singh was a two-time president of the gurdwara body.

Punjab has recently witnessed protests over a series of incidents of sacrilege, especially in Faridkot, Ferozepur, Ludhiana and Tarn Taran districts. — With PTI inputs