Two bike-borne assailants fired two shots at the room of the head sewadar of Gurdwara Manji Sahib in Rajoana Kalan village early on Wednesday.
According to police, head sevadar Baldev Singh escaped unhurt as he was inside the bathroom attached to his room when the assailants targeted it around 3.15 am.
Police suspect a possible link between the firing at Gurdwara Sri Gopalsar Sahib in Gagra village near Jagraon on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.
According to Baldev Singh, he had opened the gurdwara’s main gate around 3 am and gone to the bathroom attached to his room when he heard footsteps. Moments later, two gunshots rang out, followed by the sound of shattering glass. He locked the bathroom door from inside and remained there until he believed the assailants had left. He then raised the alarm and informed the police.
Granthi Kulwant Singh said he had also heard gunshots in the early hours but initially mistook them for firecrackers. He had noticed two suspects on the premises, but they left before he could confront them. He realised the gravity of the incident after Baldev Singh raised the alarm.
Ludhiana (Rural) senior superintendent of police Ankur Gupta and other senior officers visited the shrine on Wednesday morning. An FIR against unidentified persons was registered at Sudhar police station.
{{/usCountry}}Ludhiana (Rural) senior superintendent of police Ankur Gupta and other senior officers visited the shrine on Wednesday morning. An FIR against unidentified persons was registered at Sudhar police station.
{{/usCountry}}Inspector Rajvarinder Pal Singh of Sudhar police station said, “We are examining CCTV footage from the gurdwara and nearby routes to trace the assailants’ movements and establish their escape route.”
Karan Singh Sandhu, DSP (Dakha), said CCTV footage had captured the two masked men on a bike and expressed confidence that they would be arrested soon. He added that the gurdwara was situated on the outskirts of the village.
The attack follows a similar incident on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday where a masked man fired two shots at Gurdwara Sri Gopalsar Sahib in Gagra village near Jagraon and left behind a letter threatening the shrine’s chief sevadar and another gurdwara committee member. The letter expressed resentment over the committee honouring certain political leaders with siropas (robes of honour).
Police are investigating whether the two attacks are connected