A 55-year-old woman was apprehended by villagers at Chomon village gurdwara in Adampur for an alleged desecration bid today. The gurdwara granthi, along with village parbandhak committee and residents, handed over woman to the police, shortly afterwards.
The Adampur police have registered an FIR against the woman under Section 299 (deliberate and malicious insult of religious beliefs) of the BNS in this connection. Identified as Paramjit Kaur, a resident of Chomon village, the suspect was arrested.
As per villagers, the woman, who lives alone in the village, had a history of mental illness. The police said investigation was underway. The incident happened at the Sigh Sabha Gurdwara in Chomon village at 6 am today.
A complaint was lodged with the police by granthi Avtar Singh, who had been working at the gurdwara for the past 13 years and resides on the shrine premises. The granthi alleged that he was offering prayers at the gurdwara this morning, when he saw a woman on the live CCTV feed. She entered the gurdwara with unwashed feet and dirty socks and began tearing cards kept at the gurdwara advertising an event in another nearby gurdwara.
When granthi reached the spot, the woman who he alleged was then squatting by the holy book, took off the “rumala” (cloth) covering the Guru Granthi Sahib and waved the Chaur Sahib (Sikh ceremonial flying whisk) upon the holy book.
Intervening immediately afterwards, the granthi apprehended the woman. He made announcements on the gurdwara loudspeaker after which villagers and religious groups soon assembled on the spot. A police team also reached gurdwara and began investigation. Villagers handed over woman to the police