Punjab CM Charanjit Channi visits Golden Temple day after man lynched over 'sacrilege' attempt

New Delhi: A day after a man was lynched after alleged sacrilege attempt, Punjab CM Charanjit Channi on Sunday (December 19) visited Golden Temple in Amritsar. 

Talking to mediapersons, Channi urged people to maintain communal harmony. "We appeal to the people of the State to respect and protect the religious centers of all religions, maintain communal harmony. It might be that some bad elements are causing this as Assembly elections are nearing. Our agencies are conducting a probe," ANI quoted him as saying. 

We appeal to the people of the State to respect & protect the religious centers of all religions, maintain communal harmony. It might be that some bad elements are causing this as Assembly elections are nearing. Our agencies are conducting a probe:Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi pic.twitter.com/P8KJxEDggb — ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2021

As per PTI, a man was beaten to death after his alleged bid to commit 'sacrilege' inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple on Saturday evening. 

In a video that has gone viral, the man can be seen jumping across the railings inside the sanctum sanctorum, and picking up the ceremonial sword. He then reached near a place where a Sikh priest was reciting the holy Guru Granth Sahib.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) task force members caught him and while he was being taken to the SGPC office, the angry "sangat" (congregation) thrashed him badly, leading to his death, the news agency reported. 

Meanwhile, a special investigation team (SIT) has been set up to probe the alleged ‘sacrilege’ attempt at the Golden Temple. 

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa presided over a meeting in Amritsar with the deputy commissioner, the police commissioner, the inspector general of police (border range), the Amritsar Rural SSP and other officials. He informed that an SIT has been constituted under the deputy commissioner of police (law and order), which has been directed to submit its report in two days.

On Saturday night, a case was registered against the unidentified man late under IPC sections 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 307 (attempt to murder), Amritsar Police Commissioner Sukchain Singh Gill said on Sunday.

Meanwhile, another person was killed after being accused of tampering with 'Nishan Sahib' (Sikh religious flag) at a gurdwara in Kapurthala on Sunday morning.

(With agency inputs)

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