‘Sacrilege’ bid: Nihang who allegedly killed youth in Phagwara gurdwara sent to 7-day police remand

Phagwara, January 17

A man belonging to the Sikh Nihang sect who allegedly killed a youth on the premises of a gurdwara here was sent to police remand for a week by a court here on Wednesday.

Nihang Ramandeep Singh had claimed after the incident that the unidentified victim had come to the historic Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi Chaura Khooh to commit an act of desecration.

Nobody has so far come forward to claim the body of the youth.

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Gurinder Singh Dhillon had said a preliminary investigation revealed that no incident of desecration had taken place in the gurdwara.

Nihangs belong to a warrior Sikh sect whose members are usually seen in blue robes, carrying traditional weapons.

While Ramandeep Singh was arrested and booked under section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code, police also invoked section 295A (outraging religious feelings) against the man who was killed.

Superintendent of Police Gurpreet Singh said Ramandeep Singh was sent to a seven-day police remand by the court.

The Nihang had posted a video on social media in which he took responsibility for the killing and claimed that he acted in self-defence. In another video uploaded by Singh, the victim is heard saying that he was sent by someone to engage in wrongdoing.

Dhillon had earlier said IPC section 304 slapped against the Nihang could be converted into section 302 (murder) following further investigation.