Sikh man forced to remove turban, kirpan in Abu Dhabi; kept in custody for 20 days

A Sikh man was allegedly forced to remove his kirpan and turban, besides suffering humiliation in custody, in Abu Dhabi.

Advertisement

Manpreet Singh, a resident of New Delhi, has appeal the Indian government regarding the torture and harassment of his father, Dalvinder Singh, faced in Abu Dhabi.

Related news: NAPA condemns religious discrimination against Sikh tourist detained in Abu Dhabi

Talking to The Tribune, Manpreet narrated the traumatic experience his father endured. Dalvinder Singh, an Amritdhari Sikh from Kaithal, travelled to Abu Dhabi on a tourist visa as part of a group tour on April 21. When the group visited the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan (BAPS) Temple, the Abu Dhabi police stopped Dalvinder Singh, questioning him about his kirpan. Despite efforts by the tour guides and the temple management to explain about the religious significance of the symbols, the authorities were not convinced and arrested him.

Manpreet said his father had to face humiliation and mental torture during his 20-day detention. Despite the CID, Baniyas jail authorities, and Al Rhaba jail authorities initially denying the arrest, they later blamed Dalvinder for arguing with the police. However, Dalvinder Singh does not know the local language of UAE or English, making the allegation baseless; and it was also not mentioned in the court order.

During his detention, Dalvinder Singh was kept in inhumane conditions. His turban, kada, and kanga were forcibly removed, leaving him bareheaded and depriving him of his religious beliefs.

In the final days of his detention, he was shifted to Al Wathba Central Jail. He was served non-vegetarian food — even though he’s a vegetarian. He was deported without his turban, causing severe humiliation during his flight to India.

In search of Dalvinder Singh, Manpreet and his father-in-law were sent from one jail to another. It was only after the intervention of the Indian embassy that Baniyas jail authorities accepted his arrest. Despite court orders for his eviction, the process was delayed by 15 days.

Manpreet Singh appealed to the Indian government to take up the matter with its counterpart in UAE to ensure such incidents do not occur again.