GS Paul
Amritsar, August 18
SGPC employees manhandled a devotee near the Akal Takht at the Golden Temple here on Wednesday.
The incident was captured by another devotee on his phone and the video went viral on social media.
The victim, sporting a black turban and ‘gatra’, along with another devotee, was seen sitting on the staircase near the Akal Takht.
This is the same passage through which the Guru Granth Sahib is taken from the sanctum sanctorum to the Akal Takht for rest. The devotees present on the spot at the time are made to stand beyond the fence to clear the passage.
Though the exact cause of provocation was not known, Golden Temple manager Sulakhan Singh said the man probably went beyond the prohibited area. He said the SGPC employees’ behaviour was still not justified.
The video shows that the man who was sitting on the staircase tried to stand up before the SGPC men caught hold of him and dragged him down. He fell on the floor and they reportedly pushed him beyond the fence, little caring about his age and the turban that was tossed.
Meanwhile, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami has ordered an inquiry into the incident and put the employees concerned under suspension.
SGPC assistant secretary Kulwinder Singh Ramdas termed it shameful and assured that the accused would face disciplinary action. “We have taken a strong note of the incident. The issue is being dealt with sternly. The men will be suspended and action taken against them,” he said while appealing to the devotees to maintain decorum during such times.
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