Sikh bodies observe ‘Curse Day’, decry delay in justice

Panthic organisations on Tuesday observed “Lahnat Diwas” (Curse Day) on the 10th anniversary of the 2015 sacrilege and subsequent police firing incidents at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan.

They termed it the “Curse Day” to denounce successive state governments for their alleged failure to deliver justice even after a decade.

The participants paid homage to those killed and injured during the police action on October 14, 2015. The police allegedly used batons, water cannons and fired on peaceful Sikh protesters demanding action over the sacrilege incidents at Burj Jawahar Singh Wala and Bargari villages. Two men had died and several others were injured in the firing.

Giani Harpreet Singh Khalsa, former jathedar, said justice had eluded the Sikh community. The protesters accused successive governments of shielding the perpetrators. One of the major concerns was the legal battle over the jurisdiction of the case. The protesters alleged that followers of Dera Sacha Sauda, accused of the sacrilege, have sought to transfer the trial from Punjab to Chandigarh, citing safety concerns. They criticised the Punjab Government for not “firmly opposing this move, claiming it undermines the pursuit of justice”.