Barnala, Jan 23: A conspiracy to tarnish the reputation of a village gurdwara management has been thwarted with the arrest of three men by the Barnala police. The case involves the tearing of “angs” pages from Gutka Sahib in Thikriwala village earlier this month. Authorities have identified the suspects as relatives who sought to exploit a major religious gathering to settle a personal score with local officials.
The investigation revealed that the prime accused was angry over a perceived lack of respect from the village gurdwara president. DSP Satvir Singh said that the man hatched the plan to coincide with the martyrdom anniversary of Sewa Singh Thikriwala to maximize the impact of the scandal. He noted that the suspect used a family member with a physical disability to carry out the act, thinking it might shield them from suspicion.
Village residents played a role in maintaining order during the sensitive period. Some locals mentioned that they waited until the conclusion of the major anniversary program to raise the issue, fearing that a public outcry during the event could lead to a significant law and order crisis. A case has now been registered under relevant sections of the BNS following the analysis of security footage.
The police have clarified that the sanctity of the gurdwara complex itself was not breached during the commission of the crime. DSP Satvir Singh mentioned that the religious book was sourced from a different location during a sewa event. He said that the department is continuing to investigate the logistics of how the materials were transported to the village. The arrests follow a brief period of local unrest where community members demanded accountability for the incident.
