Vienna:
On Sunday evening, Sant Niranjan Das, head of the Dera Sachkhand sect, leader of Dalit Sikhs was attacked by followers of a rival sect while a service was on in a Gurdwara in the Austrian capital Vienna.They accused the Dera Sachkhand and Niranjan Dass of insulting the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikhs most holy book.
One of the preachers died in the attack and 30 people were wounded.
"I heard sixteen shots, somebody held him, he had a knife and there were several people," recalled an eyewitness.
"According to our investigation so far six persons did not agree with the ceremony during a religious service of the Sikhs. They stood up, pulled their guns and attacked the people inside the temple and the priest. They injured people and were badly injured themselves by the attenders," said Michael Takacs, Spokesman, Vienna Police.
Six people have been arrested. Investigations into the incident are still on.
And this is what led to the violence that saw rival Sikh factions clashing in Jalandhar and Ludhiana late on Monday night.
Niranjan Das, head of Dera Sachakhand is undergoing treatment and is stable now.
The Dera was established 70 years ago by Sant Sarwan Das and Sant Niranjan Das is the current head. The Dera is credited with running several social organisations and hospitals. Most followers of Dera Sachkhand don't wear turbans. Dera Sachkhand has several lakh followers among Dalit Sikhs in and around Jalandhar and the Doaba area in Punjab. It also has followers in UK, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain and Greece.