New Delhi: A viral video on social media created massive outrage on Friday across the nation, where a group of Nihang Sikhs, part of the farmers' protest at the Singhu Border, claimed responsibility for brutally lynching and butchering of a 35-year-old man at the protest site. The man was tied to an overturned police barricade; allegedly his wrist and one leg were chopped off. Meanwhile, a Nihang man, Saravjeet Singh, surrendered to the police later on the same day and will be produced before a court on Saturday.
Cops said that the Nihang group allegedly killed him for disrespecting the Sikh holy book The Guru Granth Sahib. Earlier the day, DSP Hansraj informed the media that an FIR had been lodged against an unknown person under sections 302 (murder) and 34 at Kundli police station in Sonipat and the viral video is a matter of probe as "rumours will linger," he said. The incident further caused a huge outrage among the farmers who were initially not allowing the police to visit. However, officials of the Kundli police station were later allowed to take the body to the nearby civil hospital.
Cops identified the deceased man as Lakhbir Singh. He used to work as a labourer and was a resident of the village Cheema Khurd in Tarn Taran, Punjab. The investigation report also confirmed that he was adopted by one Harnam Singh when he was 6-month-old. Lakhbir belonged to the Dalit community and had no criminal history or political affiliation. He is survived by his wife Jaspreet Kaur and three children of 8, 10 and 12 years old.
Meanwhile, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) distanced itself from the entire incident. The farmers' body also assured that it was ready to cooperate with the Haryana government for action against the culprit. A seven-member coordination committee of the SKM also called for an emergency meeting over the incident. The members included Hannan Mollah, Darshan Pal Singh, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Yogendra Yadav, Shiv Kunar Kaka, Jagjit Singh Dalewal and Gurnam Singh.
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes Chairman Vijay Sampla has sought a report from the Director-General of Police, Haryana, in 24 hours over the killing.
Sampla also asked Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to take strict action in this matter immediately. The post-mortem report of deceased Lakhbir revealed that he died due to injuries and excessive bleeding. The report said that the attack was made with a weapon, due to which death occurred. There were at least 10 injury marks on his body. There were also marks of rubbing on the body.
The Haryana state government assured of proper investigation and stern actions. The Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar called a high-level meeting of senior officials on the day the incident took place, including the DGP and the state home secretary, over the issue.
Meanwhile, political cross-over emerged with the killing of the Dalit man at the farmers' protest site. Swaraj India convener Yogendra Yadav has condemned the brutal murder, saying the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) will support a legal investigation into the matter. "A dispute triggered in the night between the Nihaangs and the deceased. The deceased was accused of sacrilege (be-adbi) of religious text. SKM leaders have requested the Nihaangs to leave Singhu on numerous instances. We have asked them to leave, saying- this is a farmers' agitation, not a religious agitation," Yadav said.
Whereas slamming the SKM, BJP's Amit Malviya 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 farmers need to be exposed."
Meanwhile, cops suspecting another two Nihang group members Baba Amandeep Singh and Baba Narayan Singh behind the brutal lynching- sources said that one cut the man's hand and the other cut his leg.