Seven held in Punjab for theft of holy book

Chandigarh: In a five-year-old heinous crime of the Sikh holy book -- Guru Granth Sahib, a Special Investigation Team led by Jalandhar Range Deputy Inspector General Ranbir Singh Khatra arrested seven Dera Sacha Sauda followers from Punjab's Faridkot district early on Saturday.

They were arrested for stealing a 'bir' of the Guru Granth Sahib from Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village.

Among the arrested accused are Sukhjinder Singh, Neela, Ranjit Bhola, Nishan, Baljit and Narinder Sharma, all residents of Faridkot district.

Two people were killed in police firing and several others injured in violent clashes during protests against incidents of sacrilege of the holy book at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura towns. The protests after the incidents of sacrilege brought Punjab to a standstill in October 2015 with radical Sikhs and others blocking highways and roads for days together.

The Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP government was in power (2007-2017) during that time in Punjab.

Reiterating his government's resolve to ensuring justice, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has said the Special Investigation Team (SIT), entrusted with the probe after it was withdrawn from the CBI, would get to the bottom of the case.

Another Special Investigation Team, led by Inspector General Kunwar Vijay Pratap, is probing the police firing incidents.