An application has been filed in the Supreme Court, seeking an urgent hearing of the Writ Petition filed for the removal of Farm Law Protestors from borders in the wake of yesterday’s incident, in which the Nihang Sikhs killed a man brutally at Singhu Border.
One Lakhbir Singh (35) was brutally murdered by the Nihangs at Singhu border outside Delhi. His body, with a chopped hand, was hanged from a barricade on Friday morning. The Nihangs claimed that Lakhbir had attempted to commit sacrilege on the ‘Sarbolah Garnth’. One Sarabjit, a Nihang Sikh, has admitted to the lynching and surrendered, taking responsibility for the murder.
The petition claimed that the protestors were sitting at the border of Delhi for over 10 months without social distancing, masks or other Covid-19 related protocols, which have reportedly been one of the reasons for the second wave of Covid-19 in Northern India. The petitioners said they were worried that the agitators were not only putting their life in danger, but of millions of people. Thus, such protest should not be allowed, keeping in mind the present pandemic, added the plea.
It demanded urgent action against the agitating farmers, claiming that Covid-19 norms were not being followed at the Singhu border. “Even anti-human activities are happening in the name of the protests, including rape of a woman and killing and mutilating the body of a Dalit man, which cannot be allowed to continue,” noted the petitioners.
They said India is on the verge of third wave of Covid-19 and such protests should not be entertained when people are dying and there is a scarcity of medical equipment, including oxygen, medicines, beds and injections. The State Governments, High Courts and the Supreme Court, all are doing every possible remedy to tackle this situation and in these times, such demonstration is unwarranted for, stated the petition, filed through Advocate Shashank Shekhar Jha and AOR Manju Jetley Sharma.
Lakhbir Singh came to the border three days ago from Cheema Kalan village in Punjab. The incident took place at around 3 a.m., when Lakhbir was found in possession of Sarbaloh Granth and the Nihangs accused him of desecrating the holy book.
The incident follows one that happened one-and-a-half-year ago, when one of the Nihang Sikhs chopped off the hand of an Assistant Sub-Inspector of Punjab Police in Patiala, after being intercepted to show a curfew pass during the lockdown. The Nihangs crashed the vehicle into a police barricade and came out of the vehicle, wielding sharp-edged weapons. They then chased the policemen and attacked them, causing severe injuries to ASI Harjeet Singh. The ASI underwent a seven-hour surgery at PGI, Chandigarh, to save his life. Police had arrested 11 Nihangs, including women, in connection with the incident.
Nihang Sikhs are in the spotlight again!
The Nihang Sikhs, also called Akalis, are armed Sikh warriors characterised by blue robes, antiquated arms such as swords and spears and decorated turbans, surmounted by steel quoits.