On Saturday, 20th July, two Nihang Sikhs attacked a labourer who was collecting empty bottles near Dakkhana Chowk on Heritage Street in Amritsar. One of the Nihangs, who is only 13-years-old, has been arrested by the police while the other one fled the scene. The incident took place at around 4 PM. The injured labourer has no family in Amritsar and hails from Patna, Bihar.
Two Nihang Sikhs attacked a sweeper with a kirpan on the heritage corridor near Harimandir Sahib. 🗡️ ⚔️
— PunFact (@pun_fact) July 22, 2024
The Nihangs assaulted the victim only on the allegation that he had tobacco in his pocket. Police have arrested one Nihang while the other is absconding. pic.twitter.com/EAKUhGQDB4
Reports suggest that the labourer, who has been identified as Shankar, was sitting on Heritage Street when two Nihangs came and attacked him. His arm broke after the attack. Nihangs claimed that he was consuming tobacco and when they noticed, they attacked him.
Shankar lives on the streets of Amritsar and collects empty plastic bottles to sell. He admitted he had a packet of tobacco in his pocket but denied consuming it at the time of the incident. Bhaskar’s report suggested that he was collecting bottles when two Nihangs got hold of him and asked if he was chewing tobacco. First, they attacked Shankar with a stick and then hit his arm with the kirpan. Speaking to the media, SHO Harsandeep Singh said one of the Nihangs, a 13-year-old boy, was arrested following the incident.
Police personnel were present near the spot where the incident happened and rushed to save Shankar. He was rushed to the hospital for treatment. He was admitted to the civil hospital for primary treatment and then shifted to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital for further treatment.
This is not the first time Nihang Sikhs attacked someone claiming sacrilege. On 10th July, it was reported a group of Nihang Sikhs stopped a TV serial shooting claiming sacrilege as a mock setup of Gurudwara was there at the shooting spot. On 5th July, Nihang Sikhs attacked 58-year-old Sandeep Thapar, also known as Gora, who is the chief of the Shiv Sena in Punjab outside the Ludhiana Civil Hospital.
OpIndia tried contacting police for further updates but could not connect.
