* Admn investigating conspiracy angle
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 16: As another sacrilegious act took place inside a temple at Nanak Nagar this afternoon, the authorities swung into action and immediately booked the acc-used under Public Safety Act (PSA), thus, defusing the tension within couple of hours and preventing flare-up of the situation like the one witnessed at Janipura on June 14 following similar act by another miscreant at historic ‘Aap Sham-boo’ temple.
This time, the civil and police authorities, who were maintaining high alert after Roop Nagar incident, took no time and imposed PSA on the miscreant, who turned out to be a discharged constable of Indian Reserve Police (IRP). He had been removed from the services in 2013 for undesirable activities.
Reports said the accused Gurbachan Singh alias Mintu son of Harbans Singh, a resident of Sector 8 Nanak Nagar, presently putting up at Bandu Rakh, appeared at Lord Shiva temple at Nanak Nagar, where the women were holding ‘kirtan’ (religious gathering) on the pious occasion of ‘Nirjala Ekadshi’. He started committing the sacrilegious act inviting prompt attention from the people, who gathered in the temple in large number and informed police.
Immediately, local people including both Hindu and Sikhs from entire Nanak Nagar and surrounding areas gathered at the spot and caught hold of the miscreant. They handed over the accused to police, which rushed to the spot immediately after the incident.
Deputy Commissioner, Jammu Dr Simrandeep Singh, SSP Jammu Dr Sunil Gupta, SP City (South) Shahzad Salaria, SDPO Sachin Gupta and SHO Gandhi Nagar Inspector Bishnesh Kumar among others reached the spot and talked to the highly agitated people, who were shouting slogans against the act of desecration and demanding stern action against the accused.
People from both Hindu and Sikh communities, while holding massive protest demonstrations, demanded stern action against the accused for hurting sentiments of the people and slapping PSA on him.
In the meantime, shopkeepers in Nanak Nagar and surroundings downed their shutters and joined protests.
Dr Simrandeep Singh told the Excelsior that he has ordered imposition of PSA on the accused.
“An order for imposing PSA on the accused has been issued,” he said.
The PSA was imposed on Gurbachan Singh within couple of hours after which the people expressed their satisfaction on the action taken by the administration against the accused and called off the protests and dharnas.
The Deputy Commissioner said the order lifting ban on internet services by this evening, which had been issued during the day, was withdrawn after Nanak Nagar incident. The ban on internet services would be reviewed tomorrow morning and a decision will be taken depending on the situation.
Dr Singh said the administration was looking into conspiracy angle behind the two sacrilegious incidents during the past three days. For the purpose, mobile telephone of the accused has also been seized.
It may be mentioned here that ban on internet services in entire Jammu region was lifted in the afternoon but was re-imposed immediately after Nanak Nagar incident. The internet services had been banned on the night of June 14 after desecration of ‘Aap Shamboo’ temple at Roop Nagar by a miscreant. The broadband services, which had earlier been exempted from purview of the ban, were also stopped tonight by the telecom providers on the request of police administration.
SP City (South) Shahzad Salaria told the Excelsior that accused Gurbachan Singh was also involved in the incidents of stabbing and trespassing before his recruitment in the IRP. He said that he had been discharged from the IRP in 2013 following undesirable activities.
Salaria said a case has been registered against the accused at Gandhi Nagar police station. Based on the today’s and previous FIRs, the accused was booked under the PSA, he added.
Normalcy returned to Nanak Nagar after couple of hours of massive protests by the people following imposition of PSA on the accused.
A FIR No. 137/2016 under Section 295-A has also been registered against the accused for further investigation.
This was second sacrilegious act inside a temple of Lord Shiva by the miscreants during past three days. On June 14, a miscreant Mohammad Yasir of Shiva, Doda had desecrated historic Lord Shiva temple, widely known as ‘Aap Shamboo’, at Roop Nagar, triggering massive protests from the people in which several vehicles were burnt.
The Roop Nagar tension, which had led to bandh and protests in several parts of Jammu yesterday, was defused today with entire region remaining calm till fresh incident of sacrilege was reported at Nanak Nagar.
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