New Delhi: The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, umbrella body of the protesting farmers, on Friday stated that a Nihang group at the protest site in Singhu border had claimed responsibility for the brutal murder of a man earlier in the day.


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“The Nihangs said that the incident took place because Lakhbir attempted to commit sacrilege to the ‘Sarbaloh Granth’. It is been reported that this deceased had been staying with the same group of Nihangs for some time,” a statement by the SKM read.


Further, SKM condemned the killing and said that neither the deceased nor the Nihang group had any relation with Samyukt Kisan Morcha. “SKM is against sacrilege of any religious text or symbol, but that does not give anyone the right to take the law in their hands. We demand that the culprits be punished according to law,” SKM said.


"We demand that after investigating the charge of conspiracy of murder and sacrilege, the guilty should be punished as per law. The United Kisan Morcha will cooperate with the police and administration in any lawful action," the farmers' union said.


The mutilated body of the victim, Lakhbir Singh, was found tied to a barricade on Friday. A resident of Punjab' Tarn Taran, Singh, 36, used to move with the group.  


As per the FIR, the ASI was informed that Nihangs cut off the hands of the deceased and hung him on the iron barricade where he succumbed to his injuries. It is alleged that the man was caught while desecrating the Sikh religious holy book, however, there is no an official confirmation on the same.


A case has been registered under section 302, 34 of the IPC, case filed against unknown people. 


The protest site at Singhu has been mired in controversies. Earlier, SHO Ashish Dubey of Samaypur Badli police station was attacked by protesters. In another incident, SHO Paliwal of Alipore police station was attacked by protesters with a sword. Some policemen of the Special branch were attacked by the protesters at one point.


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