SGPC to probe staff lapse after alleged sacrilege bid at Golden Temple complex
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) said Friday it is considering disciplinary action after a guard assigned to a post inside the Golden Temple complex was found absent during an alleged attempted sacrilege at Gurdwara Shaheed Baba Gurbaksh Singh Ji. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj said the accused, identified as Abhijit from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, entered the sanctum during an Akhand Path at around 2 am on Thursday. “After completing parkarma (circumambulation) of the Guru Granth Sahib, he reportedly picked up the Sri Sahib (sword). Sewadars immediately apprehended him and handed him over to the police,” he added.SGPC action against absent guard The SGPC’s decision to probe its own staff comes after Darbar Sahib manager Major Singh confirmed that the guard posted at the spot was not on duty when the incident occurred. Asked whether a guard had been present, Major Singh admitted: “No, he was outside,” and said the committee was taking internal action over the lapse. Asked if the First Information Report (FIR) has been registered, Major Singh said, “The administration is handling it.” In the absence of a guard, it was a devotee who grabbed the man who allegedly committed sacrilege. Eyewitness Jaspreet Singh, a priest, said the incident occurred between 12 and 12.30 am on Wednesday night during an Akhand Path. He and two other associates were present at the Gurdwara just behind the Sri Akal Takht Sahib building, reciting Gurbani when he noticed the man, clean-shaven and making repeated parkarma around the Guru Granth Sahib. “I had developed a doubt about his gestures, so I was alert. When he put his hand on the Teg (Sword) in front of Guru Granth Sahib Bir, we grabbed him immediately,” Jaspreet Singh said.
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