CHANDIGARH: A 33-year old woman was shot dead in Dukh Niwaran Sahib Gurdwara in Patiala late on Sunday night by another devotee as she was allegedly under the influence of liquor and this hurt his religious sentiments.
Sources said that Parminder Kaur had come to the historic gurdwara in Patiala from Zirakpur near Chandigarh was allegedly consuming liquor near the sarovar (holy water tank).
A few devotes objected to her drinking and an attendant (volunteer) Sagar Malhotra stopped her. Kaur got agitated and broke the bottle and hit Malhotra on his arm.
She was over powered by the devotees and taken to the manager’s room. Then manager tried to ask the women her credentials and other details but she did not give a proper reply. Then the police was called by the gurdwara authorities.
While the police personnel were taking Kaur in their custody from the manager’s room, a person standing nearby fired four bullets at her. Kaur died on the spot.
The accused identified as 32-year old Nirmaljit Singh Saini of Urban Estate in Patiala is a property dealer and a regular visitor to gurdwara.
The attendant, Sagar Malhotra, was also injured in the firing. The police have recovered few tobacco packets and a bottle of liquor from the spot where the incident took place, said sources.
Senior Superintendent of Police of Patiala Varun Sharma said, “Prima facie it seems Saini’s religious sentiments were hurt and he fired five rounds at the woman with his 32-bore licensed revolver of this four hit her and she died on the spot, while one bullet hit Malohtra and is injured but out of danger as he was taken to Rajindra Medical Collage and Hospital.’’
“It seems Saini took this step in the heat of the movement as he was regular visitor to the gurdwara and has no criminal back ground, the women was unemployed and alcoholi. We traced her back ground and found a prescription in her bag which was of a private de-addiction centre at Patiala.”
“They told the police that she was undergoing treatment for alcohol addiction and was having mood swings. We are trying to locate the family members or any relatives as no one has come forward to claim her body, as further investigations are going on,’’ said Sharma and added that her mobile has been sent for technical analysis.
He further said that the accused never knew the lady and he took this extreme step in heat of the moment. “The accused Singh has been arrested and the weapon used in the crime has been recovered. The CCTV footage in the gurdwara has been scanned.’’
Meanwhile, additional police has been deployed around the gurdwara premises. A case of murder and arms act has been registered at Anaj Mandi Police station.
