Bhagwant Singh (20) and Govind Singh (25), the two accused who surrendered in the Lakhbir Singh murder case on Saturday, had travelled to Delhi’s Singhu border with their Nihang gang after the alleged attacks on protestors following the January 26 violence. On Friday, Nihangs reportedly executed Dalit Sikh Lakhbir Singh at the Singhu border for committing sacrilege at the Nihang body camp led by Balwinder Singh of Moian Di Mandi in Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib.
“Lakhbir was doing the rounds of our camps for a few days,” Balwinder Singh explained. He was referring to making a religious sacrifice. He didn’t live with us. The fact that he lived with us is a lie. However, he was in Singhu and moving around for three to four days before the event.”
Read also: Violence at Singhu Border: Man Found Mutilated
“At Singhu, we have a bus with all the precious religious granths placed, including Guru Granth Sahib, Dasam Granth, and Sarab Loh Granth.” On Friday morning, Lakhbir arrived at our camp. Our Nihang robes were put out to dry in the open. He took one of them and wore it. He arrived after the priest had taken his morning wash, and no one was near the bus. He got on the bus and took off the rumalas. We have a video of us finding a matchbox on the bus. He was the one who brought the matchbox. Other items were strewn over the bus.”
When the priest learned of the occurrence, he tossed the Granth in a filthy location and returned to the bus. Meanwhile, Nihangs from other groups had picked up on his strange behaviour. He was clean-shaven, which prompted suspicions, especially because he was dressed in Nihang garb. He was apprehended, and we now know what happened.”
“After January 26, our group arrived at Singhu. After January 26, we watched recordings of a mob attack on farmer protestors near the Singhu border. We witnessed photos of Sikhs being assaulted and apprehended by Delhi Police in Singhu. As a result, we decided to come here to defend protestors. On February 2, we arrived at the Singhu border,” he continued. “Bhagwant Singh and Govind Singh have both been with my jatha since they were children.”
Read also: Parkash Badal seeks fair probe into Singhu border killing
Govind had decided to remain single. Bhagwat just married the sister of one of our jatha members. They are both Rangreta Sikhs. This murder had no connection to caste. Nihangs do not have a caste system. “I’m telling you they’re Rangreta Sikhs because you keep asking,” Balwinder explained. Sarabjit Singh, another defendant, comes from the Gurdaspur district’s Vithvan village. He is a member of the Nihang Panjwan Takht Budha Dal body. His father is a construction worker. “He got baptised from Hazoor Sahib not long ago,” Sarabjit’s mother Kashmir Kaur stated. One of my boys has a unique set of abilities.
