The Punjab Police on Sunday claimed to have solved the case of desecrating the holy pages of Guru Granth Sahib at Singh Shaheedan Gurudwara Sahib in Dangoli village within few hours as the Roopnagar Police arrested Jagtar Singh, who works as a granthi in the same gurudwara.
Rupnagar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Raj Bachan Singh said that on June 9, 2018, Ghanauli police post in-charge Jasmer Singh had received information about the incident by some unknown persons and it had hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community.
After the matter came to light, an FIR was registered under section 295 A of Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Sadar Police Station, Rupnagar.
SSP appreciated the efforts of a team comprising SP Investigation Raminder Singh, DSP Investigation Varinderjit Singh, DSP Manvir Singh Bajwa, CIA incharge Inspector Atul Soni, SHO Sadar Police Station Inspector Rajpal Singh who cracked the case within few hours.
He said that during the course of investigation, it was found that granthi Jagtar Singh was changing his statements repeatedly.
“He had earlier told the poilcemen that at 5:45 am on June 9, 2018, he had left the Gurudwara after offering morning prayers and had locked the main door of the Gurudwara, but later said that he had left the door open.
Jagtar Singh also told the cops that he had informed the people about the desecration by calling them through phone, but later during investigation, this thing was also found to be false,” he said.
SSP informed that during investigation, it was found that granthi Jagtar Singh had left for his house at 5:45 am and it was around 6:15 am that some womenfolk from the same village had visited the gurudwara and were the first ones to find the holy pages of Guru Granth Sahib desecrated.
During investigation, it was also found that between 5:45 am to 6:15 am, no one else had visited the Gurudwara, he said.
“During investigation, the granthi Jagtar Singh could not give details about the mukh waak taken on June 9, and even the page number,” SSP added.
The SSP added that during the course of investigation, Jagtar Singh said that he works as a truck driver.
“He admitted that he was fed up from the daily duty of Gurudwara sahib and it was becoming hard for him to take out time for Gurudwara from his truck driving. And that is why he committed the heinous crime out of frustration and mental stress,” he added.
Jagtar Singh admitted that he used the sharp edged metal piece of the Siri Sahib kept near the Parshad for desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
later, he left the door open so that people might think that desecration has been done by some stray animal, the police said.