Living in fear, says Singhu victim Lakhbir Singh’s sister

Gurbaxpuri

Tarn Taran, October 20

Raj Kaur, sister of Lakhbir Singh of Cheema Kalan village here who was found dead at the Singhu border, alleged that the family, it seems, had been put under “home detention” with no fault of theirs.

Also read: Lakhbir Singh booked on sacrilege charge

She alleged that on October 16, members of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee prohibited them from cremating Lakhbir’s body as per the Sikh rituals, citing sacrilege of the holy book, and even stopped the villagers from attending the ceremony.

“After this incident, we have been living under fear and didn’t step out of the house even to immerse Lakhbir’s ashes into the river. So, we had to bury the ashes in the village cremation ground,” Raj added.

Narrating her tale, Raj said as the family follows Sikhism, they must have been allowed to perform the last rites of Lakhbir according to the Sikh “rehat maryada”. “Now, why the district administration and politicians are mum over our pitiable condition? And why we are facing social boycott?” asked Raj. Stating that the family has no source of income, she also sought due compensation.

Lakhbir is survived by his father Darshan Singh (80), sister Raj Kaur and her 10-year-old daughter Jaspreet Kaur.