Punjab: The police said 19-year-old Bakshish Singh was caught by the crowd over the alleged sacrilege and beaten to death.
An angry crowd has beaten a young boy to death in Punjab’s Ferozepur for alleged desecration of Guru Granth Sahib—the holy book of Sikhs, the police said. It is said that 19-year-old Bakshish Singh was beaten to death after he allegedly tore some pages of the Guru Granth Sahib on Saturday.
Reports stated Bakshish Singh committed the alleged sacrilege at Gurdwara Baba Bir Singh in Bandala village. Following the incident, Singh was caught by the crowd and thrashed him, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sukhwinder Singh said.
A police case has been filed against the man for the alleged sacrilege.
On the other hand, reports quoting slain man’s father Lakhwinder Singh said he (Bakshish Singh) was mentally challenged and had been on medication for two years, while the police to register a case against those who killed his son.
Reports said Bakshish Singh had never visited the gurdwara before and reportedly tried to run away after committing the alleged sacrilege and was caught by locals. As the news of the alleged incident spread, villagers gathered at the gurdwara and beat him to death.
Later, a video of the incident appeared on the social media platforms showing group of men surrounding Bakshish Singh as he sat bleeding with his hands tied.
It is said the police later took Bakshish Singh to a private hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.
The situation is now under control, said DSP Singh.
NDTV report quoting Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh said the law was not successful in stopping sacrilege incidents and Bakshish's death was a reaction to the failure to punish the culprits.
The Jathedar of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, also called on the Sikh community not to allow his last rites at any gurdwara and socially and religiously boycott his family, the report said.