CCTV footage of the incident show the assailants entering the Dera premises and approaching the chief. The pillion rider then fired two shots at the 60-year-old following which they fled the scene.
The former Dera Kar Seva Pramukh of Nanakmatta Gurdwara in the Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand was shot dead by two men on a motorcycle on Thursday morning.
CCTV footage of the incident show the assailants entering the Dera premises and approaching the chief. The pillion rider then fired two shots at the 60-year-old following which they fled the scene.
Uttarakhand DGP Abhinav Kumar said that they will soon take strict action against those involved. He added that a Special Investigation Team (SIT), including personnel from the Special Task Force (STF) and local police, has been formed to investigate the case.
“We got information in the morning that two masked assailants entered the Nanakmatta Gurudrawa and shot former dera chief Baba Tarsem Singh. He was rushed to a hospital in Khatima where he was declared brough dead. This is a serious incident. The Nanakmatta Gurudrawa is one of the major religious sites in the state and the killing there is a matter of concern for us,” the DGP said.
“Soon after receiving the information, senior police officials, including the SSP and DIG (Kumaon), reached the spot. We will have to not only identify those involved but also expose any possible conspiracy, if any. We have also contacted central agencies to get any information they have,” he added.
Udham Singh Nagar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Manjunath TC, said that they have photos and videos of the assailants. “The incident took place early morning when Baba was sitting alone on a chair inside the Dera after his daily routine. The two assailants shot using a long weapon,” he added.
He informed that on hearing the gunshots, people from the Dera reached the spot but the attackers had fled by then.
Nanakmatta Gurudwara is a significant Sikh pilgrimage site located in the Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand. It holds immense historical and religious importance for the Sikh community. The Gurudwara complex includes the main shrine, where the Guru Granth Sahib (the holy scripture of Sikhism) is revered.
