A 19-year-old youth identified as Bakshish Singh was beaten to death for allegedly committing sacrilege at Ferozepur Gurudwara on May 5. The incident took place inside the Gurdwara, located in Bandala village of Punjab at around 3 pm. Singh was accused of tearing some pages from the holy Guru Granth Sahib following which he was beaten by the villagers. He was later taken to a private hospital where the doctors declared him dead.
The police, as quoted in the media, have said that Bakshish Singh, a resident of Talli Gulam village, allegedly tore some pages of the Guru Granth Sahib after entering the premises of the gurdwara. Singh’s father, Lakhwinder, highlighted that his son was dealing with mental illness and was undergoing treatment.
A graphic video of the said incident went viral on social media:
A 19-year-old boy was killed by villagers in Bandala village, Firozepur, for allegedly committing sacrilege by tearing parts of the holy Guru Granth Sahib Ji at the Gurdwara. The family of the deceased stated that their child had mental health issues and was undergoing treatment. pic.twitter.com/j6FKPktfjX
— Gagandeep Singh (@Gagan4344) May 4, 2024
However, the Sikh community and their representatives have called out the act of sacrilege and demanded for a boycott of the accused family. The police have formally lodged a complaint against the deceased but Lakhwinder Singh demanded for a case to be registered against those who attacked Bakhshish.
An FIR was registered against 19-year-old individual Bakshish Singh under Section 295-A of the Indian Penal Code at the Arif Ke Police Station, based on a complaint lodged by Lakhvir Singh, chairman of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee.
Expressing his anguish, Bakshish’s father Lakhwinder reiterated that his son had been mentally disturbed “for the last few years and has been undergoing treatment. The police should also register an FIR against those who killed his son,” he said.
Police claim that after tearing several pages from the Guru Granth Sahib, Bakshish attempted to run away. He was apprehended by some, and when word of the purported incident spread, the villagers gathered at the gurdwara and started beating him. Later, he passed away from his wounds, reported media.
Senior Superintendent of Police Saumya Mishra, reached the village as soon as they received the information about the incident.
Meanwhile, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh expressed his distress over the sacrilege incident in Ferozepur.
He underlined Bakshish’s death as a response to the “failure to punish the culprits and give exemplary punishments by law.” Besides, the Jathedar has also requested the Sikh ‘Sangat’ to socially and religiously boycott the family of the accused and not to allow the last rites.
Singh claimed in a statement that there has been a “well-planned conspiracy” behind the Guru Granth Sahib sacrilege incidents for a considerable amount of time.
He claimed that neither the government’s laws nor their enforcement are effectively curtailing sacrilegious acts nor punishing their perpetrators.
Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib Giani Raghbir Singh today expressed deep grief over the incident of sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji at Gurdwara Baba Bir Singh in Bandala village in Ferozepur district and termed the death of the accused of sacrilege as a reaction to the… https://t.co/bmwG7ggFzR
— Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (@SGPCAmritsar) May 4, 2024
He outlined that the sacrilege in Ferozepur is a very unfortunate incident that has hurt the religious 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 said that when the “rule of law fails miserably in performing its duty, then people are forced to seek justice in their own way”.
He also warned the government that instead of troubling the Sangat or any Sikh regarding the death of the accused of sacrilege, the truth should be brought before the Sangat as soon as possible as to who sent the accused of sacrilege and under what conspiracy.
