An unidentified man was on Friday found dead with his wrist severed and body tied to a police barricade near the farmers’ protest site at the Singhu border in Haryana’s Sonipat.

The police said a First Information Report was lodged against unidentified men in this connection.

Hansraj, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Detective Dept., Sonipat, told reporters that a police officer found the body tied to the barricade around 5 a.m. He said the hands and the legs of the body were chopped off and there were no clothes on it except an underwear.

“The people at the spot were questioned regarding the incident but no concrete information could be gathered. The deceased is unidentified. An FIR has been registered against unknown people,” added Mr. Hansraj.

Blasphemy suspected

However, a video that has surfaced shows a group of Nihangs standing over the man as he lies on the ground in deep shock and pain with his wrist cut and bleeding profusely, raising suspicion that the murder could be related to an incident of blasphemy.

The Nihangs, surrounding him, could be heard asking his name and native village, but none comes forward to help him.

“We are looking into this video and many other videos doing the rounds on social media, apparently related to the incident. It is a matter of investigation,” said Mr. Hansraj.

Nihangs claim responsibility

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha has condemned the murder and mutilation of the man.  In a statement issued after an emergency meeting of farm union leaders, the SKM said that “a Nihang group at the scene has claimed responsibility, saying that the incident took place because of the deceased’s attempt to commit sacrilege with regard to the Sarbaloh Granth.”

The SKM added that it has been reported that this deceased was staying with the same group of Nihangs for some time.

The SKM identified the dead man as Lakhbir Singh, son of Darshan Singh, hailing from Cheema Kala village in Tarn Taran district, part of the Police Station Sarai Amanat Khan.

“Samyukt Kisan Morcha condemns this gruesom killing and wants to make it clear that both the parties to this incident, the Nihang group and the deceased person, have no relation with Samyukt Kisan Morcha,” said the statement.

The SKM added that while it is against sacrilege of any religious text or symbol, that does not give anyone the right to take the law into their own hands. The group of farm unions demanded that the culprits be punished according to law after investigating the allegation of murder and conspiracy behind sacrilege. SKM leaders said they would cooperate with the police and administration in any lawful action.