A 19-year-old youth was beaten to death over an alleged sacrilege incident that occurred at a gurdwara in Punjab’s Ferozepur on Saturday, the police said. The deceased was identified as Bakshish Singh, a resident of Talli Gulam village, entered the premises of the gurdwara in the Bandala village and allegedly tore some pages of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs. His father Lakhwinder Singh said that Bakshish was mentally disturbed and was undergoing treatment for it.
The police registered a case against the youth for the alleged sacrilege. His father approached the police to register an FIR against those who killed his son.
What did the police say about the incident?
According to the police, Bakshish allegedly tore some pages of the Guru Granth Sahib and then attempted to flee. Some people caught him as the news of the alleged incident spread. The villagers gathered at the gurdwara and assaulted the youth, they added.
He later succumbed to injuries, police said.
Police registered the FIR against Bakshish under section 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code at the Arif Ke Police Station on a complaint lodged by Lakhvir Singh, chairman, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee.
The police have registered an FIR against unidentified persons based on the complaint of Bakshish's father.
Jathedar of the Akal Takht on sacrilege incident
Giani Raghbir Singh, the Jathedar of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, expressed grief over the incident of sacrilege in Ferozepur.
He termed Bakshish's death as a reaction to the "failure to punish the culprits and give exemplary punishments by law."
Moreover, the Jathedar has also asked the Sikh 'Sangat' to socially and religiously boycott the family of the youth and not to allow his last rites to be held in any gurdwara.
He said the sacrilege in Ferozepur is a very unfortunate incident which has hurt the sentiments of Sikhs.
"For Sikhs, there is nothing above Sri Guru Granth Sahib and incidents of sacrilege badly harm the soul and mentality of Sikhs," he said.
The Jathedar of the Akal Takht said when the rule of law "fails miserably in performing its duty", then people are forced to seek justice in their own way.
(With PTI inputs)
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