Akal Takht asks SGPC to probe sacrilege incident in Punjab

Even as the government has set up an inquiry commission, Sikh temporal head Akal Takht today directed the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) to hold a parallel probe into the alleged sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib in a village in Faridkot district recently.
Akal Takht chief Gurbachan Singh also asked SGPC to ensure financial help to the families of the two persons who died and others who were injured in the police action at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura during protests earlier this week.
The Punjab government yesterday set up a Judicial Commission headed by Justice (retd) Zora Singh of Punjab and Haryana High Court to probe the sacrilege incident as well as the incident of firing at Kotkapura in Faridkot two days back, besides looking into the matter of firing at village Behbal district Faridkot, which led to the death of two persons.

While issuing the directions today, the Akal Takht chief asked the SGPC to take up the matter with the state government to get arrested those responsible for the sacrilege.
Commenting on the whole episode of sacrilege and the subsequent protests, he said police had been informed well in time but it remained reluctant in taking action as a result of which the situation slipped out control and "sentiments of Sikh community were hurt by and large".
Condemning the police action against protesters, he said that the policemen, who fired at and cane charged "innocent" sikhs, should be dismissed from service forthwith criminal cases should be registered against them.

He demanded unconditional release of all arrested sikhs immediately.
SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar endorsed the Akal Takht's demands.