Haryana Police Registers FIR Against Singhu Border Lynching Victim

Sukhjinder Randhawa had said that the incident “seems to be a conspiracy to discredit the struggle of the peasants.”

Hours after a man was found brutally murdered at the site of the farmers' protest at Singhu border on Friday, 15 October, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha issued a statement condemning the killing.

(Photo: Athar Rather/The Quint)

The Haryana police have registered an FIR against the Singhu border lynching victim, Lakhbir Singh, for allegedly desecrating Sikh holy book.

The 36-year-old deceased, Lakhbir Singh, who was found with his hand chopped off and strung up to a barricade at the Singhu border last week, has been booked under section 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code, news agency PTI reported.

The FIR was registered based on a complaint by one Balwinder Singh, at Kundli police station on 17 October, as per police sources quoted by PTI.

Meanwhile, two Nihang Sikhs from Balwinder Singh’s group, Bhagwant Singh and Govind Preet, had surrendered to the police on the same day for their alleged involvement in the murder of Lakhbir Singh.

Deputy superintendent of police (DSP), Law and Order, Sonipat, Virender Singh, confirmed the development and said, “FIR number 612 was registered against Lakhbir Singh under section 295-A of IPC. A probe is underway.”

Further, the police were reported to be looking to ascertain the authenticity of a video clip on Wednesday, that allegedly showed the Singhu victim revealing to a mob that he was given Rs 30,000, and sharing the phone number of a person with them.

This comes a day after the office of Punjab’s Director General of Police (DGP), announced the creation of a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Varinder Kumar, ADGP and Director, Bureau of Investigation, Punjab to investigate the Singhu border killing.

Lakhbir Singh hailed from Tarn Taran district in Punjab's Jalandhar and had no criminal record or political affiliations.

The Punjab government has reportedly alleged a conspiracy involving members of the Nihang group, which is alleged to be responsible for the murder. Taking to Twitter, Punjab’s Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, had earlier on Wednesday, said that the incident “seems to be a conspiracy to discredit the struggle of the peasants.”

(With inputs from PTI.)