Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargajj meets families affected by Maur Mandi bomb blast

The officiating Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj, met with the families affected by the 2017 Maur Mandi bomb blast. These families are still waiting for justice for their children and loved ones who lost their lives in the terrorist attack.

During the meeting, the affected families shared detailed accounts of the incident with Jathedar Gargajj. They recounted how, on January 31, 2017, a bomb blast occurred during a political rally in their neighbourhood, killing seven people, including five children. The families said their children were playing nearby when the explosion happened close to the political rally, making them victims of politics.

This terrorist attack claimed the lives of Maur Mandi residents Ankush Singla, Japsimran Singh, Varkha Rani, Ripandeep Singh, Sourav Singla, Ashok Kumar, and Harpal Singh. The families informed the Jathedar that despite their long struggle for justice, they have not received it yet.

Jathedar Gargajj questioned the Punjab government on why, to this day, it has not been able to apprehend those responsible for the attack. He emphasised that it is the fundamental right of the affected families to receive justice. He stated that Punjab has a rich cultural heritage rooted in fairness and social values, which is why crime rates here are lower than in other states. However, the biggest problem Punjab faces is a justice system that fails to deliver.

The affected families of the Maur Mandi bomb blast are a prime example of this failure—they have been waiting since 2017 for the perpetrators to be punished, yet no arrests have been made.

Jathedar Gargajj expressed concern that instead of delivering justice, the government appears to be shielding the terrorists involved in the attack. He questioned whether the affected families are not citizens of this country and when they will receive justice?

Jathedar Gargajj further said that the perpetrators of this attack are living comfortably under government protection. He warned that if the families take matters into their own hands to seek justice, the same government system will brand them as terrorists and imprison them for decades.

Bathinda