A mob attacked the president and members of a gurdwara management committee in Punjab's Tarn Taran over the alleged "removal" of a poster featuring the late Sikh separatist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. The mob armed with sticks and swords, wreaked havoc on the car of the president of the committee, leaving a police officer and members of the committee injured, said police on Monday.
The incident unfolded in the Pahuwind village of Tarn Taran when a video showing the removal of a tent with a Bhindranwale poster went viral on social media. The video showed the gurdwara management requesting volunteers to relocate their shoe-cleaning service tent as it was hampering the flow of devotees.
“We raised an objection over displaying Bhindranwale’s portrait near ‘joras’ (shoes of devotees) were kept. Besides, the Sikh volunteers had set up a tent without the permission of the gurdwara management,” said Col Harsimran Singh (retd).
The volunteers opposed the action by the committee leading to a scuffle which was recorded in a video. After seeing the clip, several Sikh radicals reached the gurdwara complex on Sunday and sought action against the management.
After the video of the incident became viral, leaders from Sikh organisations, headed by Harpal Singh Bler of Shiromani Akali Dal Amritsar, hurriedly reached the gurdwara.“We demanded registration of a first information report (FIR) against the president for allegedly hurting Sikh sentiments,” he said.
The group vandalised the car of gurdwara committee president Col Harsimran Singh (retd). Police had a tough time taking him to a safe place.
Singh later said he had great respect for Bhindranwale and he had objected to the display of the poster near the shoes of devotees. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Tarn Taran, Preet Inder Singh said the matter has been amicably resolved. "Now there is no tension in and around the gurdwara," he added.
“When the police were taking the president to a safer place, some persons attacked the vehicle. Persons from both sides were injured. An inspector-rank official has also sustained injuries. Talk between both the parties is going on to settle the dispute," he further added.