As per media reports a 40-year-old Sikh man, abducted over a month ago by a “militant” group in Pakistan’s tribal region for allegedly spying for a rival outfit, was found beheaded on Wednesday.
Mohinder Singh, a herbal medicines’ seller, was kidnapped from his shop in Tabbai village of Khyber tribal agency by unidentified armed men on November 20, 2012.
He was reportedly beheaded on January 08, 2013 and his body was mutilated before it was packed in a sack and dumped at Zakhakhel Bazaar in Khyber, unnamed officials were quoted as saying by “The Dawn” newspaper.
The officials said that Tawheedul Islam militant group had claimed responsibility for killing Mohinder Singh.
A note left with the body said he had been killed for “spying” for rival militant group, the Lashkar-e-Islam. The body was identified by the slain man’s brother Daswant Singh.
He said his brother’s killing was a “cruel act” against members of the minority Sikh community.
“We have no enmity with anyone and have lived peacefully in Khyber agency for more than six decades,” he said.
Daswant Singh reportedly told some media outlets that his family had earlier approached the Tauheedul Islam, a pro-government militia of Zakhakhel tribesmen, but it had claimed it did not know the whereabouts of Singh.
“After we tried and used all tribal channels and sources for the recovery of my brother, we sent an application to Mutahir Zeb, Political Agent of the Khyber Agency, on December 13, 2012 to seek his support,” Daswant Singh said.
The official had reportedly assured the family that Mohinder Singh would be recovered within a week.
Mohinder Singh has been survived by his wife and nine children, including a polio-affected son.
Accoring to “Daily Times”: in 2010, another Sikh, Jaspal Singh, was murdered in the Tribal Areas while security forces rescued Sarabjit and Gorinder Singh after an operation.
According to “The Express Tribune”: leader of the community Baba Amarjeet Singh said they requested the political administration to ensure Mahinder’s release several times, but no action was taken.
“Earlier, Mahinder’s brother Baswant Singh was also kidnapped, but later released after militants chopped off his hair,” The Express Tribune news report added.
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http://sikhsangat.org/2013/us-based-sikh-ngo-condemns-beheading-of-two-indian-soldiers/
Jan 9th, 2013: Amritsar, Punjab: While condemning the beheading of two Indian army jawan’s by Pakistan, US based Sikh NGO, Teri Sikhi has urged both India and Pakistan to exercise restrains to maintain peace in the region. Chairman of Teri Sikhi Jaspal Singh Sandhu told TOI over phone from US on Wednesday that “Hostility is not in interest of both India and Pakistan and they had to maintain peace at any cost” he said.
Teri Sikhi has been putting efforts for opening of corridor between Dera Baba Nanak (India ) and Kartarpur Sahib (Pakistan) and in recent past the organization had held a meeting in Fremont, California to urge both countries to include Karparpur Peace Corridor on their bilateral meeting agenda. He said incidents of killing of two Indian army jawan’s would definitely interrupt the peace process between two nations.
“But we should not quit our efforts at any cost” he said. He argued that it was due to efforts of civil society that both countries had started communicating at different levels. He also informed that a delegation of Teri Sikhi and other like minded organizations had met President Barack Obama and had urged him to use his influence in pressurizing both Indian and Pakistan governments to open corridor between two countries.
“If they can think of opening of Hussaniwala as another trade in Punjab then why not corridor” he reasoned. He said as bilateral talks between India and Pakistan were taking place, it had become more important than ever to allow free access to Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara which was located near the Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district. After Indo Pak partition in 1947, Kartarpur Sahib where Guru Nanak Dev had spent last 17 years of his life went to the Pakistan.
Source: TTN