Two of the three Sikhs that were captured with Jaspal Singh, who was beheaded 10 days ago, escaped yesterday during a battle between the Pakistani security forces and the Taliban, an advocacy group said.
Surjeet Singh, 25, suffered a gunshot wound in the back and is being held in a military hospital without visitors, said Kuldip Singh, president of the New York-based United Sikhs. His nephew, Gurvinder Singh, 16, is back with his family in Peshawar.
“There was Ardaas and celebrations at the Peshawar gurdwara yesterday,” Kuldip Singh said. “But there still is fear among the immediate family. They are hesitant to talk about it. It took us a long time to get information from them (family).”Surjeet Singh and Gurvinder Singh were restrained with metal chains, the family told Kuldip Singh. At 2 a.m., they awoke to the sound of gun battle and managed to unlock themselves. As they ran towards the army, Surjeet Singh was shot in the back. The soldiers saw the men and took them to safety. Surjeet Singh was taken to a military hospital where he had surgery.
Some militants were killed during the military operation. The The Agence France-Presse reported yesterday that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was responsible for the kidnappings and beheading. The men were recovered somewhere between the Orakzai and Khyber agencies in Pakistan’s tribal belt.
The Taliban was holding the men for a ransom of Rs. 20 million ($235,000 USD) after it beheaded Jaspal Singh on Feb. 20 for refusing conversion.
Jaspal Singh’s father, Piara Singh, was among a Sikh delegation that went to Islamabad today to be with Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan’s minority affairs minister. The group, which also included two United Sikhs volunteers, conveyed their concerns for the safety and security of Sikhs and other minorities.
The president and the prime minister were aware of the situation, and the whole government is taking this seriously, Bhatti said. “I am committed to the safety of life and property of Sikhs and other minorities.”
Courtesy: United Sikhs - Top image: Gurvinder Singh,
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