Two more Nihangs - 'warrior' Sikhs - have surrendered to the police in connection with the gruesome murder of a Dalit labourer at a farmers' protest site in Singhu on Friday. One surrendered this morning and another was arrested, taking the total number of accused in the case to four.
The two who surrendered last evening have been identified as Bhagwant Singh and Govind Singh. Visuals showed the two men - with garlands around their necks - walking as supporters cheered them.
On Friday evening Saravjit Singh - a Nihang - surrendered to Haryana Police and claimed responsibility for the sickening killing of 35-year-old Dalit labourer Lakhbir Singh, who was found tied to a police barricade at Singhu with his left hand and right leg cut off.
Singh was produced at a local court on Saturday and sent to seven days' police custody; authorities asked for 14 days', saying he had info on other suspects and that they had to recover the murder weapons.
In a video that emerged on Saturday the Nihang member has claimed "no regrets" over the killing.
The video - from before his surrender - shows him tightly flanked by other Nihangs - at least two of whom still carried swords - as a reporter asks: "Do you feel repentance?"
To this Singh looks disinterested, waves the question away and shakes his head, and replies "No".
The body of Lakhbir Singh, 35 years old and from Punjab's Tarn Taran district, was discovered early yesterday morning. It was found tied to a police barricade with the left hand and right foot cut off.
As news of the brutal and sickening murder spread, at least three videos were circulated, showing a large group of Nihangs, standing around his body as lay bleeding and in pain.
One video shows the group standing over him after his left hand was cut off. Another showed them filming his dying moments and a third showed him strung up by his feet like a slab of meat.
NDTV has not been able to independently verify any of these videos.
Sonipat police cut down the body and took it to the Civil Hospital
Also, reports circulating since yesterday morning claim that Lakhbir Singh was attacked for allegedly desecrating the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh's holy book.
The Nihangs allegedly beat Lakhbir to death, cut off his limbs and tied him to the police barricade.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, which is spearheading farmers' protests against the government's new laws, and members of which group are among the thousands camped out at Singhu, has unequivocally distanced itself from the murder and any connection with the Nihangs.
Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar held a high-level meeting at his residence in Chandigarh to discuss the murder; Home Minister Anil Vij and the state's police chief were present.
Mr Khattar, sources from his office said after the meeting, promised "action will be taken".
Last year there was an incident involving Nihangs - a Punjab cop had his hand chopped off with a sword in Patiala after he asked them to show them 'movement passes' during the Covid lockdown.
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