Nihang Sikh Allegedly Kills Man In Punjab Gurdwara Over "Sacrilege"

The body of the man allegedly killed by a Nihang Sikh being taken away.

Chandigarh:

A Nihang Sikh allegedly killed a young man, over claims of sacrilege, at a gurdwara in Punjab’s Kapurthala district on Monday night. The Nihang, identified as Ramandeep Singh, posted a video on social media of the young man and took responsibility for the killing. Police officials are on the spot.

Ramandeep Singh claimed the man had said he had been sent to commit sacrilege.

The accused has locked himself inside the premises of the Chaura Khooh gurdwara in Phagwara town, senior police officer Gurpreet Singh was quoted by news agency ANI. “A Nihang Sikh killed a youth at Gurudwara Shri Choura Khooh Sahib over suspicions of sacrilege. Investigation is underway,” he said.

This is the second incidence of violence involving Nihang Sikhs in Kapurthala in the past three months.

READ | Nihang Sikh Shoots Cop Dead As Tussle Over Gurdwara Control Turns Violent

In November a policeman was killed after a group of Nihangs opened fire at cops trying to clear encroachments inside a gurdwara at the centre of a dispute between two factions.

Five people were arrested for that incident.

Nihangs belong to a Sikh warrior group that traces its origin to the creation of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. They are distinguished by their blue robes and often carry weapons like swords.

Over the years they have been involved in a number of grisly killings, with many linked to “sacrilege”.

READ | Punjab Cop’s Hand Chopped, 2 Injured In Attack By Group Defying Lockdown

In 2020, during the height of the Covid lockdown, a group chopped off the hand of policeman in Patiala, with a sword, after he asked them to show ‘movement passes’ that were mandatory for all.

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