At the advent of the heinous killing of the Dalit labourer at the Singhu-Kundli border on Friday, October 15, another victim has come forth to reveal similar atrocities meted out at him by the Nihang Sikhs at a farmer protest site.
Recounting how he had also once become victim to the angst of a Nihang Sikh, a 24-year-old Shekhar told India Today that he and a friend were driving to work on April 12 when they got stuck in a big traffic jam near the Delhi-Haryana border in Kundli. He requested a traffic cop on duty to allow him to pass through the barricades because he was receiving continuous calls from his employer at TDI Mall. He also urged the same of a Nihang traffic officer. But, his request somehow enraged the latter, who pulled out his sword and started assaulting Shekhar.
Shekhar was allegedly attacked three times by the Nihang man, resulting in a wound on his left hand that bled profusely. He was quickly rushed to the hospital for treatment, where he received 28-30 stitches in his hand.
An FIR was registered at Kundli police station. The accused was identified as one Manpreet.
Shekhar said that though it has been several months since the incident occurred his left hand still does not function properly. He has lost his job and there is nobody to support his family, rued Shekhar.
This episode has an uncanny resemblance to the brutal lynching of Lakhbir Singh, who was killed on Friday, October 15, where farmers have been camping for months in protest of the three agricultural laws.
Kundli border murder by Nihang Sikhs
Lakhbir Singh’s brutally mutilated body, with his hands and legs severed, was reportedly found suspended from a police barricade. The autopsy report of Lakhbir Singh confirmed that 22 wounds were found on his body, of which ten were very large and deep.
He died due to deep wounds and excessive bleeding, read the report. Marks of being tied with a rope and dragged along the ground were also found on his body. Lakhbir Singh’s arm was completely severed while his leg was partially severed, revealed the post mortem.
Haryana police had arrested Nihang Sarabjit after he surrendered claiming responsibility for killing Lakhbir Singh. Sarabjit belonged to a Nihang group, Nirvair Khalsa-Udna Dal.
Before surrendering to the police, Nihang Sarabjit had appeared before the media and taken full responsibility for the barbaric act. He said that when he had found someone desecrating a Sikh sacred book he did what he deemed fit. When the reporters asked him whether he had any remorse over his action, Sarabjit had answered in the negative.
While it may be difficult to forget the scars of this heinous act, this is only one of several recent incidents in which Nihang Sikhs have ruthlessly mutilated and killed people in recent times.
In April last year, a group of five Nihangs, armed with swords and iron rods, had attacked two policemen and chopped off the hands of ASI Harjeet Singh.
Two weeks after the aforementioned incident, a Nihang Sikh identified as Tej Singh allegedly attacked two locals in Mandayali village in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh over a small argument. While one victim’s four fingers were chopped off, the other received severe injuries on the head.
