Chandigarh, May 2
The Punjab Police have registered the first case under the newly enacted anti sacrilege law after torn pages of a religious scripture were found in a slum area in Malout town of Sri Muktsar Sahib district, officials said.
According to police, the incident came to light after torn pages of the Sukhmani Sahib Gutka were discovered in Kuchian Mohalla on Thursday night. Following a complaint, an FIR was registered against unknown persons.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Harjeet Singh confirmed on Saturday that the case has been registered under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita along with Section 5 of the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Amendment Act 2026.
Police said the recovered pages have been respectfully handed over to a gurdwara for appropriate handling.
The anti sacrilege law, notified last month by the Punjab government, provides stringent punishment for acts of sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib. It includes provisions for imprisonment ranging from a minimum of seven years to a life term, along with substantial fines.
The state government had earlier convened a special session of the Vidhan Sabha on April 13 to amend existing legislation with the aim of strengthening legal provisions to prevent incidents of sacrilege and maintain communal harmony.
Investigations into the incident are currently underway, and police have not identified any suspects so far.
