2015 theft case of Sikh holy book: Punjab police names Dera Sirsa chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim

Punjab police Special Investigating Team (SIT) have named Dera Sirsa chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim as one of the accused in theft case of Sikh religion holy book Shri Guru Granth Sahib reported in 2015. During the course of the investigation, the police have recently arrested 7 Dera persons in connection with the theft case. The name of Gurmeet Ram Rahim cropped up in interrogation of recently arrested accused. 

In 2015 the theft of Sikh holy book from gurudwara of village Burj Jawhar Singh Wala in Faridkot was reported. Further, the chain of sacrilege incidents were reported in the same area. 

While revealing the details, DIG Ranbir Singh Khatra said that the police have filed the charge sheet against 11 persons including Gurmeet Ram Rahim for stealing the Shri Guru Granth Sahib. 

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Apart from Gurmeet Ram Rahim the police have accused the several committee members of Dera Sirsa of conspiring the theft to create law and order situation in the state. Post the theft incident of Sikh holy book, Sikh community staged state vide protest seeking the justice in the case and the issue was centre staged in 2017 Punjab assembly elections. According to the police investigation, Gurmeet Ram Rahim along with followers hatched the conspiracy of theft of Sikh holy book. 

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The Punjab police have constituted two separate SITs to investigate all aspects of the sacrilege incidents. Another SIT is probing the Kotkapura and Behal Kalan protest incidents where two Sikh protesters were killed. The investigation of all the incidents including theft of holy book, the sacrilege of Sikh holy book and protesters killed seeking justice in incidents were related to each other.

Timeline of the case

• 1 June 2015 -  the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy scripture, was stolen from a Gurdwara in a village called Burj Jawahar Singh Wala in Faridkot district, Punjab.
• 5 June- several Sikh leaders gave an ultimatum to the police to find the culprits. 11 June- members of various Sikh religious organisation held a protest in the village accusing the police of inaction.
• 12 October 2015- more than 110 pages of the Guru Granth Sahib were found lying on the ground in front of a gurdwara in Bargari, Faridkot district. A large number of people protested against the incident seeking justice.

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Image Credits: PTI