GS Paul
Tribune press service
Amritsar, December 20
The SGPC has announced the formation of its own special investigation team (SIT) to scrutinize the attempted sacrilege at the Golden Temple and reveal the suspect’s movements.
The suspect stopped twice
The suspect made multiple attempts to enter the chandelier and was twice arrested by staff. – Harjinder Singh Dhami, head of SGPC
Five priests to meet on December 25, according to Takht
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on Monday criticized the Center and the state for showing leniency in punishing perpetrators of sacrilegious incidents. On a tweet from Congressman Abhishek Singhvi, who condemned the “lynching,” he said if the rule of law does not deliver justice, what should the Sikhs do. He said a meeting of the five high priests had been called for December 25. TNS
SGPC Chairman Harjinder Singh Dhami said the SIT would include two members each from the SGPC, Sikh organizations and Panthic scholars. He said SIT would coordinate with police to investigate the case. He called on the Center and the state government to introduce provisions providing for at least life imprisonment by amending section 295-A.
CCTV footage revealed that the accused made several attempts to enter the sanctuary. Dhami said that although he was intercepted by SGPC staff members at the main entrance on the Ghanta Ghar side, apparently due to his suspicious activities, he used another access from Sri Guru Ram Dass Langar Hall to enter. “Our ‘sewadar’ (SGPC working group) at the main entrance had intercepted him. He came back from another entry point, ”he said.
Questions have been raised as to why he was not turned over to the police after his suspicious activities had already been noticed by the SGPC.
CCTV footage suggests the suspect reached the entrance plaza at 8:30 a.m. on December 18 via Heritage Street. He was captured by CCTV cameras at 9:38 a.m. near Langar Hall where he caught langar. He entered the premises of the sanctuary at 10:19 a.m. and left at 11:45 a.m.
After a while, he entered the same route again and stayed in the parikrama for a while. “He was spotted again at 2:42 pm near the ‘Darshani Deodi’. Incidentally, he was again questioned by a “sewadar”. When he could not produce a satisfactory answer on his identity card, the sewadar took him out of the premises. He came home around 5 p.m. after the sewadar team ended and stood in line. After 45 minutes, he entered the sanctum sanctorum and jumped over the metal grid, ”said the SPGC president.
