Man denied entry into Darbar Sahib through VIP route, pulls out gun

Amritsar, September 10

A man allegedly pointed a gun at a sewadar on the Golden Temple premises today after he was denied permission to enter the Darbar Sahib through a route meant for VIPs.

The devotee, who works with a web channel in Mohali, visited the Golden Temple early in the morning today with his wife and child in tow. Instead of standing in the line outside the Darshani Deori, the journalist asked a sewadar deputed there to allow him into the sanctum sanctorum through a route meant for VIPs.

While the sewadar agreed to let the scribe’s wife and child in, he asked the journalist to come through the main entrance. A heated argument soon ensued between the visitor and the sewadar. The scribe got riled up and reportedly pulled out a pistol and pointed it at the volunteer.

As the sewadar raised the alarm, some other devotees and members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) staff present on the spot rushed to his rescue and tackled the gun-toting visitor. The man was later handed over to the police at the Galiara police post. However, no FIR was registered against him.

“The visitor realised his fault and apologised for his conduct. He had come here to pay obeisance with his family, and the SGPC didn’t want to harass him. So no police complaint was filed against him,” an SGPC insider privy to the matter said.

No FIR registered

• Instead of standing in the line outside the Darshani Deori, the journalist asked a sewadar deputed there to allow him into the sanctum sanctorum through a route meant for VIPs
• While the sewadar agreed to let the scribe’s wife and child in, he asked the journalist to come through the main entrance. A heated argument between the two, and the scribe pulled out a pistol and pointed it at the volunteer. However, no FIR was registered against him