Sotheby's halts auction of Guru's armour plate

Patiala, Apr 7 (UNI) Auction house, Sotheby's has halted the auction of a rare steel armour plate, believed to be that of tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh.

The plate was to go under the hammer on April 9 at London.

this information was coveyed to Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandik Committee (SGPC) chief Avtar Singh Makkar by Baba Mohinder Singh of Nishkam Seva, UK. Baba Mohinder Singh is a member of the six-member panel formed by the SGPC to establish the authenticity of the steel plate and to halt the proposed auction.

Confirming this development, Jathedr Makkar said that before going to London to ascertain the facts, the six member panel will be approaching former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh to have access to the 'Charaina' set of Guru Guru Gobind Singh. This relic is currently housed in the rare collections of the erstwhile royal family of Patiala.

The auction of the armour plate had led to protests by the SGPC and question were also raised about its authenticity.

Sotheby's, one of the biggest auction houses of London, had later announced that the rare steel plate did not belong to the 10th Sikh Guru.

The six member of the panel are Dr Jasdev Singh Rai of the UK, Baba Mohinder Singh of Nishkam Seva, UK, Dr Kharak Singh, Chandigarh, Dr Gurnek Singh and Dr Sukhdayal Singh of Punjabi University, Patiala, and Dr B S Dhillon of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar.

UNI XC HS JS1928