Lakhbir Singh, a 35-year-old man was found hanging with a chopped left hand to an inverted police barricade at the Haryana-Delhi Singhu border outside of Delhi on Friday morning. The incident sent shockwaves across the country. Hours later, Nihang Sikhs claimed responsibility for the assault, which brought the spotlight back on the group. 

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) then disassociated itself from the Nihangs. A statement issued by the SKM said: "A Nihang group at the scene has claimed responsibility, saying that the incident took place because of the victim's attempt to commit sacrilege with regard to the Sarbaloh Granth. It is been reported that he was staying with the same group of Nihangs for some time."

Sources in police said Lakhbir Singh has no criminal record. 

Lakhbir’s family described him as mentally challenged, adding that he and his wife got divorced a few months ago. He was adopted by his uncle Harnam Singh after he lost his parents as a six-month-old, and is survived by his daughters, said Sukhman Singh, a relative.

Lakhbir Singh's family. (Photo: India Today)

The police have made the second arrest in connection with the brutal killing of Lakhbir Singh at the Singhu-Kundli border on Friday, October 15. The man, identified as Narain Singh, was detained from Punjab’s Amritsar district. Shockingly, moments before his arrest, he was felicitated by locals at a Gurudwara.

Images that have appeared on social media show that a garland of currency was hanging from his neck, apparently gifted to him as an appreciation for his ‘heroic act’ of punishing Lakhbir Sing for the alleged sacrilege. After his felicitation at the Gurudwara in Amritsar district, he apparently surrendered to Punjab Police.

Chairman of Congress SC department and Maharashtra minister condemned the felicitation of Narain Singh for murdering Lakhbir Singh. Calling the incident shocking, he said that such felicitation of killers can result in repeat of such incidents in future, and demanded strict punishment for this act.

Amritsar Rural SSP Rakesh Kaushal said that Narain Singh had earlier announced that he will surrender today. He said that after Narain Singh realised that he can’t escape from the Gurudwara in his village, he came out and then the police arrested him. Punjab Police will hand over him to Haryana Police.

The SSP said that Narain Singh has confessed that he killed Lakhbir Singh. He said that when he was told that Lakhbir insulted the Guru Granth Sahib, he got angry and cut off his leg, and as a result, Lakhbir bled to death.

Chairman of Congress SC department and Maharashtra minister condemned the felicitation of Narain Singh for murdering Lakhbir Singh. Calling the incident shocking, he said that such felicitation of killers can result in repeat of such incidents in future, and demanded strict punishment for this act.

The arrest came after Haryana police arrested the other accused Sarabjit Singh yesterday after he surrendered claiming responsibility for killing Lakhbir Singh. According to reports, Singh had named four others in the case.

The Haryana police will now be taking the accused to Chamkaur and Gurdaspur in Punjab to identify the other accused he had named in the case.

Nihang Sarabjit Singh arrested for killing Lakhbir Singh at Kundli border

Jathedar Raja Raj Singh, a leader of the Nihangs | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Nihang Sarabjit Singh, the first arrested accused in the brutal murder of Dalit labourer Lakhbir Singh at the Kundli border had appeared before the media before he surrendered claiming responsibility for the brutal attack and claimed full responsibility for the barbaric act.

Nihang Sarabjit Singh had said that when he had found someone desecrating a Sikh sacred book he did what he deemed fit. When the reporters asked him whether he had any remorse over his action, Sarabjit is heard answering in the negative.

Sarabjit had further told the media that he was not prompted by anyone to do what he did and that it was his own decision.

Singh was produced at a local court today (October 16). The authorities had sought 14 days’ custody, saying he had information on other suspects and that they had to recover the murder weapons. However, the court sent Singh to seven days’ police custody.

References:

Opindia.com - OpIndia staff - 16 October, 2021
theprint.in - ‘He was running with a Sikh holy book’: The ‘crime’ for which Sikh man was lynched & hacked by BISMEE TASKIN 15 October, 2021