Nihang surrenders in case of lynching of Punjab labourer  at Singhu border 

In a gruesome murder, a man was lynched, his hand chopped off and the body was found tied to a barricade at a farmers’ protest site at Delhi’s Singhu border in Haryana’s Sonipat district on

Friday morning.

The deceased identified as Lakhbir Singh, a labourer from Chima Khurd village in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district, was allegedly killed by a group of Nihangs for desecrating a Sikh holy book.

A Nihang, Saravjeet Singh, surrendered to the police, taking responsibility for killing a man at Singhu border in the evening. An FIR was registered in the case under Sections 302 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Kundli police station by the Haryana Police.

A police spokesman said that investigation in the case is going on to ascertain the allegation of desecration.

As tension prevailed at the farmers’ protest site at Singhu border after the murder, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar held a high-level meeting in the evening to review the law and order situation.

The Chief Minister also directed DGP PK Agrawal to take strict and prompt action against those responsible for the murder.

After the murder, a few videos from the protest site went viral on social media. In a video clip, the Nihangs were seen standing near a body and were heard in the clip saying the man has been punished for desecrating a holy book of the Sikhs. The Nihangs are a Sikh order, distinguished by their blue robes and often seen carrying spears.

After the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) blamed the farmers’ leaders for the incident, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) claimed that the killing of a man at the protest site was an internal matter of the Nihang Sikhs and had nothing to do with the ongoing farmers’ protest against three Central farm laws.

The SKM leaders condemned the incident and also demanded a thorough probe into the matter alleging that a religious colour is being given to their movement.

While talking to the mediapersons, SKM leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said, “When we reached the spot some people were saying that the deceased man, before dying, admitted he was sent by someone and given Rs 30,000. I don’t have the video proof of it but the Government should probe this matter thoroughly. This is an attempt to give communal colour to the farmers’ protest.” 

In a video message, SKM leader Yogendra Yadav also said this is not a religious movement, but it is a farmers’ movement and several SKM leaders have asked them (groups of Nihangs) to leave, but despite that they have been staying there (at protest site).

Slamming the farmers’ leaders, the BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh alleged the gruesome murder of an innocent person at the Singhu border clearly established that criminal elements have overtaken the farmers’ agitation.

BJP’s in-charge of information and technology cell Amit Malviya slammed Rakesh Tikait, saying had the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader not justified the Lakhimpur mob lynching, today’s gory incident at Singhu border would not have taken place

Meanwhile, taking note of the brutal killing at the Singhu border, the Chairman of National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), Vijay Sampla, asked the Haryana DGP to immediately arrest the culprits.

Condemning the violence, Sampla said the NCSC has sought a preliminary report from the Haryana Police within 24 hours.