Indian Army Denies Deployment of Air Defence Guns at Golden Temple During Operation Sindoor

The Indian Army has refuted claims that air defence guns or related equipment were placed within the premises of Sri Darbar Sahib, commonly known as the Golden Temple, in Amritsar during Operation Sindoor. In a statement, the Army clarified, “Some media reports are circulating with respect to deployment of AD (air defence) 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 (The Golden Temple).” This response addresses speculation and social media discussions suggesting military equipment was stationed at the sacred site during the operation.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex religious body managing Sikh gurdwaras, also dismissed these reports as false. SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami stated that the Indian Army did not approach the committee with any request to install defence equipment inside the Golden Temple complex. Similarly, Giani Raghbir Singh, the Head Granthi of Harmandar Sahib, who was abroad during the operation, confirmed that he received no communication from the Army regarding such deployments.

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 as a retaliatory measure following a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives. The operation targeted terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), destroying infrastructure and eliminating nearly 100 operatives, according to military sources.