The Indian Army on Tuesday issued a strong clarification denying reports that air defence (AD) guns or other military assets were deployed within the Golden Temple premises during Operation Sindoor, countering earlier remarks made by a senior Army official and media reports.
“Some media reports are circulating with respect to deployment of AD guns in the Golden Temple. It is clarified that no AD guns or any other AD resource was deployed within the premises of Sri Darbar Sahib Amritsar (Golden Temple),” the Army said in an official statement.
Contradiction Within Army Ranks
The clarification follows a statement made by Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D’Cunha, the Director General of Air Defence, who had told news agency ANI that air defence systems were deployed to protect the Golden Temple during the high-alert situation following India's missile strikes.
“The Golden Temple hierarchy realised there was possibly a threat when it was explained to them. They allowed us to deploy guns… the lights were switched off so that we could clearly visualise the drones as they were coming in,” Lt Gen D’Cunha had said.
His remarks, however, drew swift denials from both the Golden Temple authorities and the Sikh religious leadership.
Sikh Religious Leaders Reject Army's Claim
Giani Raghbir Singh, the Head Granthi of the Golden Temple, said he was abroad during the operation and had not been contacted by any Army official. He added that if any SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee) members were involved, the committee would investigate and take necessary action.
Giani Amarjeet Singh, the additional head priest, also refuted the Army’s claim, clarifying that the blackout at the temple was carried out as per instructions from the Amritsar district administration, not due to any military deployment or drone threat.
The SGPC, which manages the Golden Temple, issued a statement saying it never granted permission for the deployment of defence resources within the sacred complex.
Operation Sindoor was launched by the Indian Armed Forces in retaliation to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which left 26 people dead. The operation involved coordinated missile strikes on terror infrastructure at nine locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Following the strikes, Pakistan responded with heavy shelling and cross-border firing. In anticipation of further escalation, border districts in Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and Rajasthan enforced blackout protocols, heightening tensions across the region.
Army’s Position Reiterated
Tuesday's clarification by the Indian Army appears to be an attempt to distance itself from the controversial claim and reinforce that the sanctity of the Golden Temple was respected during the operation.
“The Army’s respect for religious institutions and practices remains paramount,” a senior Army official added.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)