Punjab: First case registered under new anti-sacrilege law after gutka sahib disrespect incident in Malout
A case has been registered in Malout under the new law after torn pages of a gutka sahib were found in Indira Basti
PTC Web Desk: A case has been registered under the newly enacted Jagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, following an incident of alleged disrespect involving a gutka sahib in Malout town of Punjab’s Muktsar district.
The incident came to light on Thursday in Ward No. 10 of Indira Basti, where nearly 20 torn pages of a gutka sahib (Sri Sukhmani Sahib) were found scattered on a roadside. Local residents respectfully collected the sacred pages and informed the police.
A police team led by DSP Harjeet Singh Mann and SHO Harpreet Singh reached the spot and initiated an investigation. Preliminary findings suggest that the religious text may have arrived mixed with scrap material and was later discarded in the locality.
A local resident gathered the scattered pages and ensured their safe placement at a nearby gurdwara for proper respect and preservation.
Following the complaint, Malout City Police have registered a case against unidentified persons under the new state law along with relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The police said the matter was being examined from all possible angles to determine how the religious scripture reached the scrap stream.