Two bike-borne assailants fired two shots at the room of the head sewadar of Gurdwara Manji Sahib in Rajoana Kalan village early on Wednesday.
Police suspect a possible link between the firing at Gurdwara Sri Gopalsar Sahib in Gagra village near Jagraon on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. Moments later, two gunshots rang out, followed by the sound of shattering glass. He locked the bathroom door from inside and remained there until he believed the assailants had left. He then raised the alarm and informed the police. He had noticed two suspects on the premises, but they left before he could confront them. He realised the gravity of the incident after Baldev Singh raised the alarm. An FIR against unidentified persons was registered at Sudhar police station. He added that the gurdwara was situated on the outskirts of the village.
Head sevadar Baldev Singh escaped unhurt as he was inside the bathroom attached to his room when the assailants targeted it around 3.15 am, according to police. He had opened the gurdwara’s main gate around 3 am and gone to the bathroom attached to his room when he heard footsteps, according to Baldev Singh.
Granthi Kulwant Singh said he had also heard gunshots in the early hours but initially mistook them for firecrackers. Inspector Rajvarinder Pal Singh of Sudhar police station said, “We are examining CCTV footage from the gurdwara and nearby routes to trace the assailants’ movements and establish their escape route. Karan Singh Sandhu, DSP (Dakha), said CCTV footage had captured the two masked men on a bike and expressed confidence that they would be arrested soon.
Ludhiana (Rural) senior superintendent of police Ankur Gupta and other senior officers visited the shrine on Wednesday morning.
