NEW DELHI: A case of desecration involving images of Hindu deities has come to light in Amritsar, which has hurt the sentiments of Hindus. In a video that has gone viral on social media, a Sikh man, Harjeet Singh, can be seen hitting and spitting on pictures of Hindu deities with his shoes. The incident has been reported from Ganda Wali Gali in the Nanak Mandi area of Amritsar.
The viral video is around 52 seconds long. It shows the accused standing in the backyard of a house, stepping on banners lying on the ground that bear pictures of Hindu deities, hitting them with his shoes, and then wiping the soles of his footwear. The video was recorded from a nearby rooftop. He is also seen holding a broom in his hand.
He then moves to another banner carrying an image of a Hindu goddess and repeatedly strikes it with a slipper. He later picks up the banner and looks in the direction from where the video is being recorded. He again hits the image with a chappal and spits on it.
Hindu Organisations Wage Protest
Following the incident, strong protests erupted from Hindu organisations. Sachin Mehra, President of the All India Hindu Sangharsh Committee, filed a complaint with the police. Based on the complaint, Amritsar Police registered a case under Section 298 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for hurting religious sentiments and arrested the accused, Harjeet Singh alias Guddu.
Hindu leaders have demanded strict action against the accused and warned the police against trivialising the matter by declaring him mentally ill.
Commenting on the case, SHO Shaminder Singh of B Division Police Station, Amritsar, said that the police had received a complaint related to religious insult and registered a case accordingly. He added that the accused will be produced before the court and remanded to ascertain the motive behind the act.
Islamist Rangreez uses water of sacred sarovar at Golden Temple to perform wazu
Notably, in another incident from Amritsar, involving the sacred sarovar at Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) has reignited a wider debate on religious conduct, institutional responsibility, and allegations of selective outrage by Sikh religious authorities. The issue surfaced after a video went viral on social media showing YouTuber Subhan Rangreez allegedly using the Sarovar water to perform wazu (ablution before offering namaz).
The visuals triggered strong reactions from sections of the Sikh community and drew widespread criticism online. Many users expressed concern over the alleged misuse of the sacred water, with some pointing out that the man was seen blowing his nose and allegedly contaminating the sarovar.
Reacting to the incident, Kulwant Singh Manan, Chief Secretary of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), stated, “The Hindu community and obviously Sikhs know the maryada (code of conduct), but people from other religions sometimes make mistakes.”
