40 Nihangs booked for murder, clash in Sultanpur Lodhi shrine

Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, November 24

All 40 Nihangs, who were a part of the jatha of the Shiromani Panth Akali Budha Dal, were booked by the Kapurthala police for the clash that took place at Gurdwara Akal Bunga, Sultanpur Lodhi, leading to the death of a home guard. Six ‘Nihangs’ have been arrested.

SGPC questions police role

• Amritsar: Condemning the incident, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh has directed the SGPC to “probe” the incident
• The Jathedar has asked the SGPC to prepare a detailed report of the incident and submit it to Akal Takht within a week
• SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami questioned the role of the police. He said the matter could have been resolved through dialogue
• “The way the police reacted without bothering to keep the maryada of a gurdwara has exposed the way the Bhagwant Mann-led government works. We demand that the Chief Minister, who holds the Home Department, apologise,” the SGPC chief added

The name of jatha head Maan Singh figures as accused number 1 in the FIR lodged at the Sultanpur Lodhi police station. Kapurthala SSP Vatsala Gupta said Maan Singh had been booked but not arrested. “Four members of his jatha, Shaheedpal Singh, Baldev Singh, Gurinder Singh and Avtar Singh, were taken into custody yesterday. Today, we arrested two more nihangs, Arshdeep Singh and Manjit Pal Singh. In all, six persons have been arrested.”

The FIR mentions that 13 other nihangs had also been booked a day before for attempting to murder and trying to take control of the gurdwara.

Meanwhile, the SHO of Sultanpur Lodhi police station said he had taken 17 Nihangs to the court and had got their four-day remand.

The condition of ASIs Gurmit Singh and Sukhdev Singh, who had got deep injuries on their hands and had undergone surgeries in Jalandhar, is now stable. Dr Mukesh Joshi said the thumb of Gurmit Singh had got amputated and Sukhdev too suffered injuries on his left hand. While Gurmit Singh is the gunman of DSP, Bholath, Sukhdev Singh is posted at Kala Sanghian police station.

Both ASIs said they were carrying canes inside the and were attacked by two-three Nihangs carrying sharp-edged weapons. They said the Nihangs seemed ready to take on them as they had entered the premises of the gurdwara as the attack came on them from all sides.

Meanwhile, SAD leader Bikram Majithia on Friday accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of siding with a particular faction of Nihangs which led to firing around Gurdwara Akal Bunga in Sultanpur Lodhi.

He alleged that the CM’s sister used to teach at Budha Dal Public School, Patiala, run by Nihang Balbir Singh. He added that Balbir Singh was the sole representative of Nihangs at the marriage of the CM last year. The SAD leader also questioned the timing of the police action, especially as Parkash Purb was only four days away.

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