Kisan Morcha blames Nihangs for Singhu lynching, Police probe on

New Delhi, Oct 15 (UNI) The body of a man with a hand chopped off, and found tied to a barricade in Kundli, close to the main stage at the farmers’ protest site along the Delhi-Haryana Singhu border on Friday, is the works of a group Nihang Sikhs, alleged the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM).
Police said the body was found at around 5 am in the morning, and an FIR has been registered. The man has been identified as 35-year-old Lakhbir Singh from village Cheema Kalan in Taran Taran district of Punjab.
In a statement, SKM said “A Nihang group at the scene has claimed responsibility, saying that the incident took place because the deceased attempted to commit sacrilege with regard to the Sarbaloh Granth’.”
The Police said that a probe is underway, some suspects have been named, and a headway would be made soon.
Several videos were shot before and after the man was killed. In one such video, he is seen surrounded by Nihang Sikhs and being questioned. The video shows the man tied down, his left hand chopped off at the wrist and the severed limb lying on the ground next to him. The group is seen asking him where he is from, while the man pleads for mercy.
Another viral video showed a group of Nihangs standing around the man, who was tied to the police barricade at the site, and was bleeding.
The Morcha which has been holding protests against the new farm laws, condemned the killing and said they have nothing to do with the man, or the group of Nihangs.
“It has come to the notice of Samyukt Kisan Morcha that a person hailing from Punjab (Lakhbir Singh, son Darshan Singh, Village Cheema Kala, Police Station Sarai Amanat Khan, District Tarn Taran) was mutilated and murdered this morning at the Singhu Border. 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 statement said.
“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,” it said.
Sandeep Kherwar, Additional Director General of Police, Rohatak Range meanwhile said a probe was underway, and refused to make any more comments.
“The case is still in a preliminary stage, so we can not say anything about it. The police have initiated an investigation of the incident. We will be able to comment only once the probe is completed,” Kherwar said.
“We have collected intelligence, and some suspects have also been zeroed upon. I am hopeful we will be able to make a headway very soon,” he said.
BJP’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya meanwhile attacked the farmers’ protests and farmer leaders over the incident, and said, “Had Rakesh Tikait not justified mob lynching in Lakhimpur, with Yogendra Yadav, sitting next to him, maintaining sanctimonious silence, the gory murder of a youth at Kundali border would not have happened. Anarchists behind these protests in the name of famers need to be exposed.”
The SKM statement also said that the man was reportedly staying with the same group of Nihangs for some time.
The Morcha said it is against sacrilege of any religious text or symbol, “but that does not give anyone the right to take the law into their own hands. We demand that the culprits be punished according to law after investigating the allegation of murder and conspiracy behind sacrilege.”
It added that the SKM will cooperate with the police and administration in any lawful action.