6, including sarpanch, arrested for assaulting Rajasthan Sikhs

Yash Goyal 

Jaipur, May 28

Rajasthan Police have so far arrested six men, including the sarpanch of Chainpura village in Ajmer district, for allegedly thrashing and assaulting four Sikh ‘sewadars’ last month.

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan State Commission for Minorities has summoned the victims, the accused and the Ajmer SP on June 2 in Jaipur.  

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One of the victims Harpal Singh of Khairtal in Alwar district filed an FIR on Saturday with the Nasirabad Sadar police station against at least six persons under various Sections of the IPC, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) N Ravindra Kumar Reddy told The Tribune on Sunday. 

The accused, including sarpanch Ramdev Singh, were booked under the Sections 295 A and 298 (hurting religious sentiments), 143, 341, 323, the ADG said.

A few other persons of Chainpura village were also being interrogated. 

Five other arrested are Shravan Singh Rawat, Raju Singh Rawat, Bhanwar Singh Rawat, Manna Singh Rawat, and Vijay Singh Rawat.

Four ‘sewadars’ — Nirmal Singh, Kuldeep Singh, Harpal Singh, and Malkiat Singh (two from Khairtal in Alwar, and two from Haridwar) — were thrashed by residents of Chainpura on April 24 when they had gone to collect donations.

Allegedly mistaken as thief or kidnappers, they were beaten up and a video of the incident went viral on social media on May 25.

State Minority Commission Chairman Jasbeer Singh said he has summoned all parties; victims, accused and a senior cop from Ajmer district for personal appearance on June 2.

The commission would probe the case independently and submit its report to the Centre and the chief minister at the earliest, Singh said.

Deploring the incident, state Congress vice president Dr Archna Sharma alleged that the minority people were not safe and protected in BJP-ruled states.

“Cops seen in this video were doing nothing but acted as mute spectators when the ‘sewadars’ were beaten up by upper caste people,” she said. 

On Saturday, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had spoken to his Rajasthan counterpart Vasundhara Raje demanding strict action against those who assaulted the Sikhs.

In response Raje has assured all necessary action against those found guilty.  Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee has also expressed its serious concern on the matter urging the state Minority Commission to probe the case.