Patiala: A fresh sacrilege incident was reported on Bhawanigarh Road in Samana on Tuesday, with pages of the Gutka Sahib being found scattered near a shop and prompting locals to alert the police. A crowd gathered at the spot, following which police and civil administration officials reached the site. DSP Fateh Singh Brar termed the incident “highly condemnable” and said CCTV footage from the area was being examined to identify those responsible. “The culprits will be apprehended soon. We appeal to people to maintain peace,” he said.Police said a case has been registered at Samana city police station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. No arrests had been made till Tuesday evening. The sacred remains were collected and taken to Gurdwara Chulla Sahib as per religious norms.The incident occurred about a kilometre from Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Chowk, where a protest has been underway over demands for a stricter law against sacrilege. Protesters have been seeking legislation providing stringent punishment for desecration of religious texts.The demand for stricter legislation stems from the pending Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Bill, 2025, which proposes stringent punishment for sacrilege but remains under consideration.Local traders said while they support the demand for a law, prolonged protests and disruptions have affected business.MSID:: 129636528 413 |
