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Punjab: 2 held for Barnala village sacrilege
The Barnala police have registered a case against two individuals and several unidentified persons after pages of the Gutka Sahib (Sikh prayer book) were found scattered at Thikriwala village recently
Sangrur: The Barnala police have registered a case against two individuals and several unidentified persons after pages of the Gutka Sahib (Sikh prayer book) were found scattered at Thikriwala village recently.
The incident, which occurred during a memorial event on January 19, triggered a three-hour protest by locals demanding immediate action.
An FIR was registered on Wednesday evening under Sections 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) and 3(5) (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The sacrilege came to light on Monday during the event commemorating Sewa Singh Thikriwala, the leader of the Praja Mandal movement who fought against the princely states’ autocracy.
The protesters lifted their blockade only after senior police officials reached the spot and assured them of a rigorous investigation.
The police have focused their probe on a 30-year-old local resident, Jagveer Singh, who has a speech and hearing impairment, and his relative, Randeep Singh, a resident of Dhuri.
Barnala deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Satvir Singh said that the both of the persons have been arrested and are being interrogated for more details.
Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib Tek Singh Dhanaula visited the village on Thursday and asked the administration to identify the main suspect or face protest.
