Patiala, Aug. 30 – A day after students alleged that Punjabi University staff attempted to dispose of error-ridden editions of the revered Mahan Kosh by burying them in water-filled pits, Patiala police registered a case against Vice-Chancellor Jagdeep Singh, three senior professors and unidentified persons.
The FIR, filed at Urban Estate police station on Friday, names Vice-Chancellor Jagdeep Singh, Dean (Academics) Jaswinder Singh Brar, Registrar Devinder Singh, and Harjinderpal Singh Kalra, in-charge of the Publication Bureau. They have been booked under Section 298 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which pertains to injuring or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class. The section carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.
The case followed a complaint submitted by student leaders Manwinder Singh, Nirmaljeet Singh, Yadvinder Singh, Mandeep Singh, Sahildeep Singh, Kuldip Singh and Balwinder Singh. No arrests had been made till the filing of this report, though the atmosphere on campus remained tense.
On Thursday, large pits dug inside the university grounds drew outrage after students discovered copies of the Mahan Kosh allegedly discarded and soaked in water. Student organisations staged protests against what they described as “disrespect” to Sikh heritage. University officials later reached the spot as demonstrations intensified.
“The attempt to destroy these copies amounts to an insult to the Sikh community and to Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha’s legacy,” said one of the protesting student leaders, who demanded strict action against the responsible officials.
The Mahan Kosh, widely known as the Encyclopaedia of Sikh Literature, was originally compiled by Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha over 14 years and first published on April 13, 1930. Considered a seminal work, it contains references to Sikh scripture, including Shabads from the Guru Granth Sahib.
Controversy over the text has persisted for months. In May, Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan directed Punjabi University to correct inaccuracies in the republished versions and ensure a revised edition in consultation with experts. The instructions were issued after discussions with the university’s Dean and senior officials of the Language Department, Punjab.
As the issue escalated Friday, Akal Takht intervened. Officiating Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj announced the formation of a committee to probe the incident. The panel has been tasked with submitting a detailed report within a week to the Akal Takht, reviewing not only the burial incident but also the broader state of preservation of rare texts and manuscripts at the Dr. Ganda Singh Punjabi Reference Library on campus.
Calling the act “an affront to Gurshabad,” Jathedar Gargaj directed the Punjabi University administration to hold an Akhand Path and ardas at the campus gurdwara as an act of repentance. “Respect for sacred texts and for the legacy of Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha must be upheld at all costs,” he said.
Meanwhile, Punjabi University officials have not issued a formal response, but sources confirmed the institution had been under pressure for several months over reported inaccuracies in its republished editions of the Mahan Kosh.
