Two masked men opened fire at Gurdwara Manji Sahib in Rajoana Kalan village, near Jagraon in Punjab’s Ludhiana district, early Wednesday, targeting the room of its head sewadar, Baldev Singh. Singh escaped unharmed as he was in the adjoining bathroom when the firing took place, prompting renewed concern after a similar incident at another gurdwara in the area barely a day earlier.
According to police, the incident occurred at around 3 am. Singh had opened the gurdwara’s main gate before going to take a bath. He reportedly heard footsteps followed by gunshots inside his room. Sensing danger, he locked himself inside the bathroom and remained there until the assailants fled. He subsequently raised an alarm and informed the police.
Initial reports indicate that the attackers arrived on a motorcycle with its number plate concealed. CCTV footage from the gurdwara reportedly shows two masked suspects entering the premises. Investigators are examining recordings from the shrine and nearby roads to establish their identities and trace their escape route.
Ludhiana Rural Senior Superintendent of Police Ankur Gupta visited the scene along with other officers. The Sudhar police station registered a case against unidentified persons, and teams have begun collecting evidence and examining the circumstances surrounding the shooting. No injuries were reported, and the motive behind the attack remains under investigation.
The latest incident comes after a separate firing episode at Gurdwara Sri Gopalsar Sahib in Gagra village near Jagraon during the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. In that case, a masked man allegedly fired shots near the gurdwara’s main gate and left behind a threatening letter addressed to the shrine’s head sewadar and other individuals. Police recovered spent cartridges and began examining CCTV footage.
Investigators are looking into whether the two incidents are connected. However, no confirmed link between the attacks has been established so far. The repeated targeting of religious premises within a short period has heightened anxiety among local residents and members of the Sikh community.
Police are continuing their investigation into both cases, with CCTV analysis and efforts to identify the suspects expected to be central to establishing the motive and determining whether the incidents were coordinated.
