Two separate incidents of sacrilege at gurdwaras in Punjab’s Moga district within a short span have led to one arrest and the registration of cases in both matters, police said.
In the first incident, panic spread among devotees and local residents after a suspicious object was discovered on the premises of a local gurdwara Sahib in Moga. Preliminary findings suggested that an unidentified woman had placed the object inside the religious site. Police are examining CCTV footage and local accounts to identify and trace the suspect, while also determining the nature of the object and the motive behind the act.
The Gurdwara Management Committee issued an appeal urging the sangat to remain calm and avoid spreading rumours. “We urge the community to stay away from superstitions and blind faith. Do not panic or spread misinformation. Let the authorities do their job,” the committee said. Police have been informed and an investigation is underway.
In a separate incident, police arrested a youth after he allegedly broke into Gurdwara Dharam Ki Pauri in the Dharamkot area of Moga, stole cash from the donation box, and violated the sanctity of the premises.
According to police sources, the accused entered the main hall after the granthi locked the doors and stepped out for routine work. He allegedly shattered a glass shield to access the Sukh Asan area, where the holy scriptures are kept, and targeted the golak to steal cash. A devotee noticed suspicious movements and raised an alarm, following which members of the gurdwara management committee and local residents apprehended him on the spot.
The incident has triggered anger in the local community. Alongside charges of theft and trespass, the accused is also facing allegations of deliberately hurting religious sentiments after tobacco was found in his possession, adding a sacrilege angle to the case.
SHO Laxman Singh said the accused has been identified as Harpinder Singh and taken into custody. A formal FIR has been registered under relevant sections of law covering theft, trespass and intentional insult to religious beliefs.
