Chicago gurdwara locked down over safety violation

A gurdwara in Chicago has been locked down by police authorities after it was allegedly found violating several rules related to safety standards.

Gurjot Parkash Sahib gurdwara, located in the suburb of Island Lake, was locked down by police on December 8 because of certain safety violations that had put public safety in jeopardy.

The authorities found that fire exit doors of gurdwara were locked from inside with deadbolt and there were also sleeping rooms in its basement.

The gurdwara also got embroiled in another controversy when a section of members was not allowed to prepare meal for the devotees by its head Baba Daljit Singh, resulting in a tiff between them.

The community members alleged that Baba was not letting certain Sikh congregation members participate freely in the religious activities of the gurdwara.

"Baba Daljit Singh is behaving like Hitler. We want that all sangat whether Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Christian be allowed to come at the Gurudwara," Sardar Maan Singh, the granthi at the gurdwara said.

Harminder Khaira, a member of the Island Lake gurdwara said that the community wants elimination of segregation and ouster of the present religious head from the holy place.

Baba has also been accused of mismanaging the gurdwara funds and not following rules of Sikhism.

Since the gurdwara opened in 1998, Baba Daljit Singh has been stating that he owned the property, while it belongs to the Guru Nanak Sikh Mission of America Inc.