Policeman arrested for attempting to rape Hindu woman in Pak

The 45-year-old woman was part of a group of pilgrims who had come to Nankana Sahib from Rahim Yar Khan district in Pakistan's Punjab.

She told police that a constable entered a temporary washroom at Gurudwara Tambu Singh while she was inside and attempted to sexually molest her on November 8.

District police chief Haider Ashraf told PTI that the constable named Muhammad Tariq had been arrested and a case of attempted rape registered against him.

The constable was subsequently sent to jail on judicial remand.

Other police officials said evidence gathered from the site would be sent for DNA tests to ascertain whether the allegations against the policeman were true.

Reports from Nankana Sahib said some Sikh pilgrims caught the policeman, beat him up and locked him in a room within Gurudwara Tambu Singh, located about a kilometre away from Gurudwara Janamsthan.

The policeman was later handed over to police officials.

Over 8,000 Sikhs from around the world, including 3,000 from India, are attending celebrations in Pakistan marking Guru Nanak's birthday.

In a separate development, dozens of Sikhs and Hindus staged a protest in Nankana Sahib last night after authorities prevented them from bursting crackers as part of the celebrations.

Local officials told Sikhs that the bursting of crackers had been banned by the Punjab government.

The protestors claimed the district administration had initially agreed to allow the bursting of fireworks but prohibited their use minutes before the main celebrations.

There were reports of a clash between Sikhs and the police on this issue but this could not be independently confirmed.