1 booked for hurting religious sentiments

Amritsar, May 5

Amritsar rural police have booked a man for allegedly hurting religious sentiments after members of Satkar Committee ‘raided’ his house and found gross violation of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (tenets).

Balbir Singh, a resident of Muchhal village and head of Satkar Committee, told the police that several Angs (pages) of the Guru Granth Sahib saroop were found torn which were fixed with tape. The ‘Gutka’ (book of holy Sikh hymns) was drenched. Members of Satkar Committee took away the saroop and other holy Sikh scriptures from the house and shifted them to Baba Naudh Singh Samadh Gurdwara in Chabba.

The police have registered a case under Section 295 of the IPC against Baaz Singh who was living in the house on rent. He originally hails from Guruwali village.

Ajaypal Singh, SHO, Chatiwind police station, said raids were on to nab the accused and further investigations were underway.

Balbir Singh said that Jaspal Singh of Bodh village had complained to the committee that around eight years ago, he had rented his house at Guruwali village to Baaz Singh of Cheema village for some time. However, when he asked him to vacate the property, he refused. Two and half years ago, he brought a saroop of Guru Granth Sahib in the house in order to grab the property so that nobody could get the house vacated.

He said the SGPC had already passed instructions to the community not to misuse the saroop. He said when he along with other members of Satkar Committee visited the house, he found glaring violations of the Sikh Rehat Maryada. Following this, a complaint was lodged with Chatiwind police for further action, he said.