26-year-old man charged with attempting to murder Namdhari Sikh head

Aug 14, 2013 - LONDON: A 26-year-old man was charged for attempting to murder Namdhari sect chief Thakur Uday Singh in the UK on Tuesday.

Uday was attacked with an axe at the Gurdwara Namdhari Temple in Leicester city on Sunday. He is worldwide spiritual head of the Namdhari community. The accused is due to appear in Court later on Tuesday.

Uday got away with a broken wrist and some gashes on the face while he was conducting morning prayers at a packed gurdwara.

Onlookers said the young man didn't shout any slogans but simply walked up to Uday wrapped in a shawl. The axe was hidden inside the shawl.

Ranjit Singh Slora, secretary of the Namdhari gurdwara said the attacker was a local known to many in the gathering.

Slora said, "The incident took place on Sunday morning at 5.20 am while Uday Singh was conducting the morning prayers. Everybody was going up on stage for his blessings. The young man walked up and looked disturbed. As soon as he got close he took out the axe from inside his shawl and lunged at guruji. The handle of the axe broke guriji's wrist while the tip of the axe grazed through his face splitting open his nose and cheeks."

The religious leader was rushed to the hospital where he was stitched up and his hands plastered.

Uday now plans to cut short his visit and will return to his home at Siri Bhaini Sahib in Ludhiana district.

Slora feels the attack could have been arranged by Uday Singh's elder brother who wanted to be the chief of the Sikh sect after the recent death of the previous guru Jagjit Singh.

The attacker was caught by members of the congregation present for the prayers.

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Man charged with attempt to murder Uday Singh in UK

Press Trust of Indiahttp://www.indianexpress.com/news/man-charged-with-attempt-to-murder-uday-singh-in-uk/1155725/

London, Thu Aug 15 2013: A 26-year-old Sikh man has been charged with the attempted murder of a Namdhari Sikh sect leader in the UK city of Leicester.

Harjit Singh Toor, who appeared at Leicester Magistrates' Court yesterday, was also charged with making threats in a public place with a weapon during the attack on Namdhari leader Sri Satguru Uday Singh.

"It follows allegations of an assault at Gurdwara Namdhari Temple on Linden Street, Spinney Hill, Leicester, on Sunday," a Leicestershire police statement said.

No application for bail was made and Toor has been remanded in custody to Leicester Crown Court in the East Midlands region of England for a preliminary hearing later this month. .......more

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