Islamabad:
The Pakistani Taliban have beheaded a Sikh youth, Jaspal Singh.
Jaspal is believed to be one among three Sikhs, all of them Pakistani citizens, who were kidnapped from the country's violent North West province tribal belt. Some reports suggested the youth was beheaded after he resisted conversion.
There are conflicting reports on both the number of Sikhs kidnapped and the number of casualties. Pakistan minister Bashir Ahmed told NDTV that so far only one body, that of Jaspal, had been found.
Sources in the external affairs ministry too say that of the three Pakistani Sikhs who were kidnapped, one has been beheaded and the others are still held captive. But Intelligence sources say that of the five who were kidnapped, three have been beheaded.
A letter found with Jaspal Singh's body, warned relatives and other Sikhs of the area of suicide attacks if they disclosed the case to the media.
No group has claimed responsibility so far, but reports says the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan is behind the violent act.
India has strongly condemned the killing and said it will raise the beheading at the foreign-secretary-level talks between the two countries slated for later this week.
Jaspal is believed to be one among three Sikhs, all of them Pakistani citizens, who were kidnapped from the country's violent North West province tribal belt. Some reports suggested the youth was beheaded after he resisted conversion.
There are conflicting reports on both the number of Sikhs kidnapped and the number of casualties. Pakistan minister Bashir Ahmed told NDTV that so far only one body, that of Jaspal, had been found.
Sources in the external affairs ministry too say that of the three Pakistani Sikhs who were kidnapped, one has been beheaded and the others are still held captive. But Intelligence sources say that of the five who were kidnapped, three have been beheaded.
A letter found with Jaspal Singh's body, warned relatives and other Sikhs of the area of suicide attacks if they disclosed the case to the media.
No group has claimed responsibility so far, but reports says the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan is behind the violent act.
India has strongly condemned the killing and said it will raise the beheading at the foreign-secretary-level talks between the two countries slated for later this week.
