NEW DELHI, Dec 19: A day after the incident of lynching in the Golden temple
in Amritsar of a man for alleged sacrilege, another one was beaten to death
at a gurdwara in Kapurthala, also in Punjab, on Sunday.
Videos on social meda show a crowd wielding swords attacking the man. The man
was accused of “disrespecting" the Nishan Sahib (Sikh flag). The incident of
the alleged sacrilege happened at 4 am at the gurudwra in Nijampur village in
Kapurthala district.
According to reports, police arrived and took the man into custody but the
killing by the crowd happened after that. The Sikhs gathered there were demanding
that the accused be handed over to them and there was a scuffle. The identity
of the man has not been revealed.
"I have taken serious note of the unfortunate incidents in Amritsar and Kapurthala.
Any attempt to violate the communal harmony in the State will be dealt with
a firm hand. Stern action will be taken against all those disturbing the law
and order in Punjab," the DGP said.
Golden temple lynching
On Saturday, a man hailing from Uttar Pradesh was beaten to death after he
reportedly committed “sacrilege" inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden
temple in Amritsar. While the prayers were going on in the evening, he scaled
the railing and entered the sanctum sanctorum and insulted the Guru Granth Sahib,
the holy book of the Sikhs, by stepping on the ‘rumala sahib’ (cloth around
the holy book), and picked up the sword placed there. When he was caught and
being taken to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) office, an
angry crowd thrashed him, leading to his death.
Akali leader Parkash Singh Badal said the reprehensible sacrilege has caused
“deep anguish and outrage in the minds of the Sikh masses all over the world".
He said the possibility of a conspiracy cannot be ruled.
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has ordered a probe into the incident.
