NEW DELHI, Oct 15: The police have filed an FIR leveling murder charges against some unknown persons after a mutilated body, who was later identified as Lakhbir Singh of Tarn Taran district in Punjab, was found tied with a barricade put up by the police at the Singhu border of Delhi where the agitating farmers are camping for the last 11 months.
The body was found with its wrist severed and foot chopped off and believed to have died due to excessive bleeding. The police said a First Information Report was lodged against unidentified men in this connection.
Hansraj, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Detective Dept., Sonipat, told reporters that a police officer found the body tied to the barricade around 5 a.m. He said the hands and the legs of the body were chopped off and there were no clothes on it except in underwear.
“The people at the spot were questioned regarding the incident but no concrete information could be gathered. The deceased is unidentified. An FIR has been registered against unknown people,” added Hansraj.
However, a video that has surfaced shows a group of Nihangs standing over the man as he lies on the ground in deep shock and pain with his wrist cut and bleeding profusely, raising suspicion that the murder could be related to an incident of blasphemy.
The Nihangs, surrounding him, could be heard asking his name and native village, but none comes forward to help him. “We are looking into this video and many other videos doing the rounds on social media, apparently related to the incident. It is a matter of investigation,” said Hansraj.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, which is spearheading the farmers’ agitation, has condemned the murder and mutilation of the man. In a statement issued after an emergency meeting of farm union leaders, the SKM said “a Nihang group at the scene has claimed responsibility, saying that the incident took place because of the deceased’s attempt to commit sacrilege with regard to the Sarbaloh Granth.”
The SKM added that it has been reported that this deceased was staying with the same group of Nihangs for some time. The SKM identified the dead man as Lakhbir Singh, son of Darshan Singh, hailing from Cheema Kala village in Tarn Taran district.
“Samyukt Kisan Morcha condemns this gruesome killing and wants to make it clear that both the parties to this incident, the Nihang group and the deceased person, have no relation with Samyukt Kisan Morcha,” said the statement.
The SKM added that while it was against sacrilege of any religious text or symbol, it did not give anyone the right to take the law into their own hands. The group of farm unions demanded that the culprits be punished according to law after investigating the allegation of murder and conspiracy behind sacrilege. SKM leaders said they would cooperate with the police and administration in any lawful action.
Though SKM members claimed that Nihang Sikhs are not part of their protest, members of the group have often been seen near the main stage and at food pandals in Singhu.
Sukdarshan Natt, an SKM member and a farmer union leader from Punjab, said: “The state’s farm unions are meeting over this incident… Police should take strictest possible action against the culprits and SKM will fully cooperate. The Nihang Sikhs had their tents away from Singhu’s main stage. This is not the first violent incident involving them, though earlier there was no loss of life. They are not associated with us, though they are sitting near the Singhu border.”
Balbir Singh Rajewal, another member and president of BKU Rajewal, said, “We strongly condemn the incident and have spoken with Sonipat police officials. The law should take its own course.”
Krishna Prasad, working committee member of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee and a member of the SKM, added, “Nihangs are not part of the SKM, though they are near the Singhu border. Police should thoroughly investigate the matter and punish the culprits. It was a cold-blooded murder. However, cops also need to investigate why such incidents are happening near farmers’ protest sites, he said.
Jagmohan Singh Patiala, general secretary of BKU Dakaunda, said, “Police are free to take any action against them (the Nihang Sikhs). Earlier too we had indicated that they should leave the place, but they continue to stay near the morcha site. Ours is a farmers’ movement and not connected to any religion.”
Harmeet Singh Kadian, president of BKU Kadian, said, “We have differences in ideologies with Nihangs… In the past too, we have highlighted that the farmers’ movement shouldn’t be given any religious colour. They were not part of the SKM but it is giving a bad name to the movement.”
(Manas Dasgupta)