The chief sewadar of Gurdwara Sri Gopalsar Sahib in Jagraon’Gagra village orchestrated the firing at the shrine to secure police protection, the Ludhiana Rural police said on Friday after arresting one of his aides in connection with the case. The police have booked Baba Amarjit Singh, who is yet to be arrested, for allegedly hatching the conspiracy.
The arrested accused, Sandeep Singh of Kadiyal village in Moga district, is a truck driver and an aide of Baba Amarjit Singh. According to senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ankur Gupta, the accused told the investigators that the chief sewadar had sought police security and planned the attack to create grounds for obtaining a security cover.
“The accused was allegedly instructed to open fire at the gurdwara and leave behind a letter threatening the chief sewadar and others. An illegal .32-bore pistol and a motorcycle allegedly used in the crime has been recovered,” the SSP said, adding that a thorough investigation led them to Sandeep, who was subsequently arrested.
According to the police, Sandeep visited the gurdwara on the intervening night of October 26 and 27 with his face covered by a piece of cloth and a shawl wrapped around his body to conceal his appearance. After firing two shots at the shrine, he left behind the letter threatening the gurdwara chief, committee members and political figures. He then fled to his village on his motorcycle.
“During questioning, the accused told investigators that he had procured the illegal weapon from Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh around six months ago,” the SSP said.
{{/usCountry}}“During questioning, the accused told investigators that he had procured the illegal weapon from Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh around six months ago,” the SSP said.
{{/usCountry}}“An FIR under Sections 109 (attempt to murder) and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act was registered at Sadar Jagraon police station. The police are conducting further raids to arrest Baba Amarjit Singh and are investigating whether anyone else was involved in the conspiracy,” the SSP added.
The SSP said the investigation had so far found no link between the Gagra incident and the firing reported at Gurdwara Manji Sahib in Rajoana Kalan village on October 28. He added that the police were pursuing leads in that case as well.