A woman was arrested after an alleged sacrilege incident was reported at a gurdwara in Sangwal village of Punjab’s Jalandhar district, triggering anger among local residents and prompting a police investigation.
According to officials and village representatives, the incident took place at Sri Guru Ravidas Gurdwara Sahib, where a woman allegedly entered the premises and damaged pages of a Gutka Sahib. Police reached the spot after receiving information from villagers and subsequently registered a case based on a complaint filed by the head granthi.
Village sarpanch Praveen Kumari said the woman entered the gurdwara while creating a disturbance and allegedly tore pages from the religious scripture. At the time of the incident, children were present inside the gurdwara and were reciting prayers. She said the children ran out of the premises after witnessing the woman’s actions.
Local residents claimed that the woman had been behaving unusually before the incident. According to the sarpanch, she was seen moving around the village, clapping and dancing, and had also entered a residential house before heading towards the gurdwara. The sarpanch said the woman appeared to be mentally distressed.
Villagers later brought the woman down from a rooftop and reportedly asked her to leave the area. However, instead of leaving, she remained in nearby fields. As news of the incident spread, some residents gathered at the spot and expressed their anger. The gurdwara management committee was informed, following which the police were contacted.
Police officials said CCTV footage from the area has been taken into possession and is being examined as part of the investigation. The footage allegedly shows the woman entering the gurdwara with her head covered before being confronted by local residents.
A police officer identified as Kuldeep Kumar said the complaint was received through village authorities and the gurdwara management. He said the head granthi, Kamaljit Lal, informed police that he had briefly stepped away while children continued reciting prayers inside the gurdwara. During that period, the woman allegedly entered the premises and committed the act of sacrilege.
The accused has been identified as Radhika, a migrant woman originally from Bihar. Police said she was taken into custody, and a case was registered against her. Officials added that initial inquiries suggested the woman was under stress and appeared to be facing personal difficulties, though the exact circumstances are still being verified.
Investigators said efforts are underway to establish all facts related to the incident. Police have appealed for calm and said further action will be taken based on the findings of the ongoing probe.