Four holy saroops of Guru Granth Sahib were burnt and five others damaged after a short circuit in an air conditioner sparked a fire at a gurdwara in Bhuttiwala village, Muktsar district, on Tuesday evening. The incident has prompted an investigation by local police and a visit from Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) officials.
Fire caused by AC short circuit
According to Muktsar SSP Abhimanyu Rana, the fire originated from a short circuit in an AC unit. “Due to a short circuit, the AC caught fire, which subsequently burnt four holy saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. The fire has been brought under control,” he said. Sources indicated that nine saroops were housed at the gurdwara; four were completely burnt, while the remaining five suffered water damage during firefighting efforts.
Community response and investigation
A village resident described the incident as accidental: “The AC exploded, which led to this unfortunate incident. The gurdwara is beautifully constructed and well managed. This is purely an accident and nothing else.” Police are investigating the electrical failure and have not reported any foul play. SGPC officials visited the site later that evening to assess the damage and coordinate with local management.
Prior warnings on electrical safety
Notably, Baba Tek Singh, Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib, had recently urged gurdwara management committees to avoid installing unnecessary electrical equipment and to conduct regular inspections of electrical wiring and fittings to prevent such incidents. This tragedy underscores the importance of those safety recommendations.
Impact on the Sikh community
The destruction of holy saroops is deeply distressing for the Sikh community, which reveres Guru Granth Sahib as the living Guru. The damaged saroops will be handled with appropriate religious rites. The gurdwara management is expected to review electrical systems to prevent future occurrences.
