10 hurt in clash over control of gurdwara

At least 10 persons, including some minors, were injured in a violent clash between two factions over taking control of Mehtabgarh Gurdwara in Goluwala near Hanumangarh in Rajasthan on Friday.

Those who attacked the gurdwara threw out the people present in the gurdwara.

The situation was described as tense but under control. As a precautionary measure, the administration ordered the closure of educational institutions and suspension of the Internet services. Cops from 15 police stations were called and two units of the Rajasthan Armed Constabulary were also deployed at the place.

A case was filed against many persons, in which allegations of desecration were levelled.

Bibi Harmeet Kaur (30), a resident of Chak 24JRK village, reached the Goluwala police station and claimed that she was serving as the chief sewadar at the gurdwara. Sometime ago, a few people created a dispute regarding the management of the gurdwara, but the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee decided in her favour, she claimed.

According to the FIR registered under Sections 331(6), 307, 191(2), 191(3), 190, 127(2), 115(2), 223(B) and 161 of the BNS, nearly 50 persons, armed with country-made pistols and sharp-edge weapons, barged into the gurdwara premises by scaling the boundary wall and attacked the devotees who were sleeping there. Harmeet Kaur alleged that the assailants snatched mobile phones of devotees and took away Rs 1.70 lakh also.

The Goluwala police said Pradeep Sihag, Akashdeep Singh, Hardeep Singh, Harsh Bhullar, Surinder Singh Chhinda, Amritpal Singh, Kuldeep Singh, Lakhwinder Singh, Jashandeep Singh, Dilbagh Singh, Vijay Singh Poonia, Sukhwinder Singh Buttar, Pritam Singh Mali, Jagatpal Niwad, residents of Goluwala, and Gursaheb Singh Happy of Chunawadh Sriganganagar had been named in the FIR.