Man arrested for attempted sacrilege bid at Patiala temple; politicians condemn incident

In a video, which surfaced on social media, the man is seen climbing the enclosure of the temple and reached the place where the idol of the goddess is placed, said police.

|Jan 25, 2022, 13:58:53 IST

Chandigarh: A man was arrested here for an alleged sacrilege bid at the historic Kali temple in Patiala on Monday, police said.In a video, which surfaced on social media, the man is seen climbing the enclosure of the temple and reached the place where the idol of the goddess is placed, said police.The accused has been identified as Rajbir Singh, resident of Nainkalan village, Patiala Deputy Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar said over the phone.The accused has been arrested and a case under relevant sections, including 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the IPC has been registered against him, said the DSP.Meanwhile, several political leaders condemned the incident and expressed fear of spreading of communal hatred by some vested interests ahead of the Punjab Assembly polls.Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi tweeted:

Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh also condemned the incident and said, “Repetitive attempts to disturb peace in Punjab will not be tolerated. I urge @ECISVEEP to take strict action so that the atmosphere in the state is not disturbed.”Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said conspiracies to spoil the atmosphere in Punjab are continuing as he condemned the sacrilege attempt in Patiala.“The attempt of sacrilege at Shri Kali Mata Mandir of Patiala is highly condemnable. The accused should be given strict punishment,” said Kejriwal in a tweet.He also mentioned the sacrilege bid at the Golden Temple in Amritsar last month. The AAP leader demanded that those who conspire to carry out sacrilege incidents should be exposed and be given the strictest punishment.Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal also condemned the incident.He said in a tweet:

A sacrilege bid had also taken place inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple in Amritsar last month and later the man was beaten to death.Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

J&K cop on Amarnath Yatra duty shot dead in Anantnag terror attack; TRF claims responsibility

The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow outfit of Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the attack through a social media post

2 min read

Jaishankar meets Canada's Anita Anand, discusses bilateral cooperation and shared interests

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday held talks on bilateral ties with his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand, focusing on cooperation and common goals.

1 min read

Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad... Neet paper leak protest spreads nationwide even as govt reaches out to CJP, Opposition

Protests over the alleged NEET paper leak intensified across multiple cities, while the Centre signalled talks with the Opposition and the Cockroach Janta Party. The Delhi High Court also stepped in, seeking preservation of CCTV footage related to police action.

3 min read

Why is India seeing 95% cloud cover despite a Super El Niño?

India is witnessing nearly 95 per cent cloud cover despite a Super El Niño, a climate event usually linked to weaker monsoons. Regional weather systems, cyclonic circulations, the monsoon trough and moisture from two seas are temporarily overpowering one of the world's strongest climate phenomena

5 min read

Jaishankar, Rubio review trade, defence, AI cooperation at Manila meeting

Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reviewed key pillars of the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, including trade, defence, energy, critical minerals and artificial intelligence, while also exchanging views on regional and global developments.