Sacred Ang 393/394 that was torn from Guru Sahib Ji’s Saroop
Sahnewal/Ludhiana (August 31, 2012): According to report in yet another direct provocation with the Sikhs, miscreant elements interrupted an Akand Paatth Sahib being held at Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji Gurdwara Sahib, Sahnewal. There are reports that migrant Bihari laborer attacked the Granthi Singh, and committed the ultimate sacrilege when they forcibly tore off a sacred Ang from the Sikh Scripture, Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
The perpetrator who committed this act is identified in media reports as Dalip Kumar, who is a Hindu laborer and is reported to have migrated to Punjab only a month ago.
Media reports suggest that he was eventually detained by Gurudwara sewadars and was handed over to the police. Subsequently he was shot at several times at a police station by a Sikh youth who wanted is believed to have to acted under strong feelings of religious hurt.
It was reported that during the night, an intoxicated Dalip Kumar, along with half a dozen acquaintances broke in through a back window of the Gurdwara Sahib and attacked Granthi Zora Singh who was reciting Akhand Paatth Sahib. Allegedly, the drunk Dalip Kumar at that time tore off Ang 393/394 from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji’s Saroop and began to crumple the sacred Ang in his hands.
Head Granthi Jaswant Singh, who was awakened by all the commotion, armed himself with a metal pipe, and confronted Dalip Kumar. Incidentally, his acquaintances quickly dispersed when they saw, a local sewadar, Thekedar Surinder Singh, who was driving nearby, pull over his vehicle next to the Gurdwara Sahib property.
Left alone, Dalip Kumar was swiftly apprehended by sewadars and handed over to the local police. After the identification of Dalip, several other perpetrators who had absconded were also arrested by the police.
As news spread about the sacrilege, the local Sangat began to gather in large numbers at the Gurdwara Sahib to see first-hand the condition of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji’s Saroop and to protest the heinous act committed by this gang of miscreants.
According to media reports, around 3:00 pm in the afternoon, a Sikh youth named Mandeep Singh from the town of Kubay, near Samrala, entered the police station where Dalip Kumar was being detained, and asked who was responsible for the sacrilege. When Dalip’s acquaintances all pointed towards him, Mandeep Singh immediately pulled out a loaded .32 caliber revolver and at point blank shot the perpetrator several times.
Bhai Mandeep Singh was apprehended by the police staff, and the seriously injured Dalip Kumar was rushed to a local Hospital and is reportedly in critical condition, and being kept under armed guard. Media reports suggest that police has refused to name the hospital.
There are reports that Bhai Mandeep Singh is booked under section 307 of IPC for attempted murder.
The remaining perpetrators have been reportedly shifted to an undisclosed location and are also being kept under police protection. Emotions are running high in the Sikh community who are fed up with these ongoing blasphemous acts being perpetuated by various cultists and miscreants.
The local Sangat has initiated another Akhand Paatth Sahib at the Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji Gurdwara Sahib seeking forgiveness for disturbance in the original Akhand Paatth, and is scheduled to conclude on Sunday.
(This news content is last modified on September 01, 2012 at 07:03 IST)