A 35-year-woman, identified as Parvinder Kaur, was shot dead by a devotee for allegedly committing “sacrilege” by consuming alcohol on the premises of Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Sahib premises.

Reportedly, the middle-aged woman was intoxicated near the gurdwara’s Sarovar, a holy pond, and had refused to stop drinking alcohol when confronted by the staff at the gurdwara. Losing his cool, a bystander fired five bullets at Parvinder in a fit of rage. Another devotee, Sagar Kumar, was also injured In the incident.

The shooter, Nirmaljit Singh Saini, also a regular visitor to the gurdwara, told the police that he committed the act in a fit of anger as his “religious sentiments were hurt”.

Varun Sharma, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Patiala, said, “Nirmaljit Singh, who was among the onlookers watching the commotion, got enraged at Parvinder’s behaviour, took out his licensed revolver and fired five bullets, of which three to four hit Parvinder.”

According to the police, Singh had no previous criminal records. Singh surrendered on the spot and handed over his licensed revolver to the officers.

“During preliminary investigation, it has come to light that Parvinder Kaur was addicted to liquor and had also remained admitted for some time to a de-addiction centre in the factory area of Patiala,” he added.

"We have arrested the accused Nirmaljit Singh under IPC sections including murder and the attempt to murder. The accused opened fire in the heat of the moment as he claimed his religious sentiments were hurt,” Singh said.

The victims were taken to Rajindra Medical College and Hospital where doctors pronounced the woman dead on arrival. The cops are still looking into the woman’s antecedents since none from the victim’s family has contacted the police yet to claim her body.