Sikh groups clash at Golden Temple, several injured

Amritsar, October 12 : Rival Sikh groups brandishing swords clashed at the entrance plaza of the Golden Temple Complex here on Thursday, leaving several people from both the sides injured. The clash occurred when the SGPC task force forcibly tried to push Master Johar Singh, the president of managing committee of Chhota Ghallughara Gurdwara at Qadian, out of the complex.
Master Johar had come to appear before the ‘parallel jathedars’, who had summoned him to clarify his stance over the ruckus created at the gurdwara in August following the involvement of one of the gurdwara management members in immoral activities.
Supporters of the parallel jathedars got involved in a verbal dual with the SGPC task force which turned ugly when the parallel jathedars tried to gain entry towards the Akal Takht. Both groups took out swords leading to panic among devotees in the shrine.The situation was brought under control with the timely intervention of the police. ‘Acting jathedar’ Dhyan Singh Mand held SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar, secretary, and manager, Golden Temple, responsible for the incident and demanded that they be booked on attempt-to-murder charges.