At India's Golden Temple, an intruder was allegedly beaten to death. So why don't politicians want to talk about it?

The throngs of worshipers were mid-prayer when a man emerged from the crowd and jumped over the barrier, entering into the sanctum of Sikhism's holiest shrine. He would not leave the Golden Temple alive. Within touching distance of Sikhism's holy book, the man grabbed a bejeweled ceremonial sword and swung it over his head. Almost instantly, and before he could strike anyone, half a dozen devotees rushed to overpower him.

A video clip of the incident, seen by CNN and originally broadcast live on local television, stops here -- before an angry mob dragged the man away. The unidentified man, who was no older than 25, was dead when police arrived at the scene on December 18, according to Amritsar's deputy police commissioner, Parminder Singh Bhandal. The mob had beaten him to death, Bhandal told reporters outside the Sikh temple, though details surrounding his death remain patchy.

The man's background, motivations and religious identity remain unknown, Bhandal added.
CNN has attempted to contact the Amritsar police for further comment multiple times, but did not receive a response. For many Sikhs, the intruder's actions were an act of "sacrilege" -- desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib holy book.

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