Morinda gurdwara sacrilege accused dies at Mansa civil hospital

Mansa, May 1

Morinda gurdwara sacrilege accused Jasvir Singh alias Jassi died at the Civil Hospital in Mansa today evening. As per information, accused Jasvir was lodged in Mansa jail and in the afternoon he reportedly complained of breathing problem. He was taken to the Civil Hospital, where he died this evening.

Mansa Senior Superintendent of Police Nanak Singh said the accused died at the civil hospital. He was brought to the hospital in the afternoon after he complained of “discomfort”, police said, adding that he died at around 9 pm. The cause of death will be clear after the post-mortem examination, they said.

On April 24, Jasvir Singh was seen in a video entering the sanctum sanctorum of Kotwali Sahib gurdwara in Morinda town of Rupnagar after crossing the railing and then hitting two ‘granthis’ who were reciting from the Guru Granth Sahib, and then pushed the holy book.

Singh was later overpowered by devotees present in the shrine and beaten up.

The Punjab Police had arrested Jasvir Singh after the sacrilege incident, which was condemned by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and other leaders cutting across political parties.

The incident had also sparked outrage among locals who held a protest outside the Morinda Police station, seeking strict punishment for the accused. Markets were also shut down in Morinda in protest against the incident.

On April 27, a lawyer had allegedly tried to attack the sacrilege accused in Rupnagar court. Lawyer Sahibjit Singh Khurl had entered the court complex with a revolver but overpowered by policemen and bystanders present on the spot before he could pull the trigger. Next day, Jasvir was shifted to Mansa jail due to security reasons.