Gurdwara row hots up again
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service
Sangrur, January 2Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service
Row over the management of Gurdwara Sachkhand Angetha Sahab in Mastuana Sahab of Sangrur erupted again this morning when some miscreants entered the residence of Baba Sadhu Singh, mukh sewadar (chief caretaker), at 4 am and allegedly threatened him for taking over the control of the religious place. The miscreants, alleged to be supporters of Surjeet Singh Duggan, besides taking over the possession of the gurdwara also took hold of the gurdwara offerings including cash and jewellery.
There are two groups involved in the row --- one headed by Surjeet Singh Duggan, while the other group is led by Baba Sadhu Singh, allegedly supported by Jarnail Singh Changal.
Local sources said in the morning when the devotees reached the religious place to offer prayers, they found the gurdwara premises turned into a police cantonment. They added that the police had sealed all the entry and exit points of the gurdwara to prevent any confrontation between the two warring groups.
Meanwhile, Karam Singh, one of the followers of the ailing Baba Sadhu Singh, alleged that a large number of armed persons from Damdama Sahib and Talwandi Sabo with the “active support” of the local police took over the reins of the gurdwara. He further said that forcible possession of the religious place, founded by Mastuana Sahab Sant Baba Attar Singh, was politically motivated and had patronage of a senior leader of the SAD. He added that since offerings at the gurdwara were in lakhs, it had resulted in some people using force to take over it.
DSP (rural) Kuldeep Sharma, while talking to mediapersons, denied any forcible possession by any group. He added that the police would act when a written complaint is made.
A few months ago also, the two groups had fought a battle to gain control of the management of the gurdwara.
