New Delhi: The dead body of a man, with a hand chopped off, was found tied to a barricade in Kundli, close to the main stage at farmers’ protest site of Singhu border on Friday morning.
A viral video shot before he died shows the man surrounded by Nihang Sikhs.
According to the farmers’ groups, the man has been identified as 35-year old Lakhbir Singh from village Cheema Kalan in Taran Taran district of Punjab. He is a labourer and is survived by a sister, a wife and three daughters, the eldest of whom is just 12.
A video that went viral showed a group of Nihangs standing around the man, who was tied and lying in a pool of blood. His left hand was chopped off at the wrist and the severed limb was seen lying on the ground next to the man.
The Nihangs are seen questioning the man in the video.
Nihangs – a ‘warrior’ Sikh group – are being blamed for the brutal and sickening murder.
A stomach-churning video has emerged showing a group of Nihangs standing over Lakhbir Singh after his wrist has been cut off and he lies bleeding on the ground, his eyes glazed over in shock and pain.
The Nihangs, some of whom are carrying spears, can be heard demanding he tell them his name. None of the men in the video make any move to help him or attend to the horrific wound.
Another video shows the body strung upside down with a rope – the left hand covered in blood. A third shows Lakhbir Singh on the ground as Nihangs film his dying moments on their mobile phones.
Reports say the Nihangs beat Lakhbir Singh to death for allegedly desecrating the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikhs’ holy book. They then hung the body on the police barricade and cut off the wrist.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a group of farmers unions spearheading the protest, has unequivocally condemned the murder and distanced itself from both Lakhbir Singh and the Nihangs.Ads by
“Condemning this brutal murder, the united Kisan Morcha wants to make it clear both sides – Nihang group (and) the deceased – have no relation with the Kisan Morcha. We are against sacrilege of any religious text or symbol… but nobody is allowed to take the law into their own hands,” the group said.
“We demand that after investigating… the guilty should be punished as per law. The united Kisan Morcha will cooperate with the police and administration in any lawful action,” the group also said.
