A young Sikh man was shot dead in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar a day after an angry mob threatened to storm the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, prompting India on Sunday to call on Pakistan to take immediate action against the perpetrators of such “heinous acts”.
The body of Ravinder Singh, the 25-year-old brother of Harmeet Singh, the first Pakistani Sikh to join the electronic media, was found in a stormwater drain on Sunday with a bullet injury to the head, according to senior superintendent of police Sajjad Khan.
Journalist Shiraz Hassan tweeted: "Ravinder Singh, Brother of Public News reporter/anchor Harmeet Singh murdered in #Peshawar - govt must wake up now! #Pakistan."
My #Exclusive interaction with Harmeet Singh the brother of murdered Sikh Youth #ParvinderSingh, Harmeet is a journalist in Pak. Gives details of fear among minorities in Pak & how Govt protects perpetrators of violence against all minorities in #Pakistan. Watch Part 1 below pic.twitter.com/WFKHgLhCrR
— Ravinder Singh Robin ਰਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ راویندرسنگھ روبن (@rsrobin1) January 5, 2020
Ravinder Singh, 25, was a resident of Shangla district at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He had come home from Malaysia and gone to Peshawar to shop for his marriage to be held six weeks later.
After killing him, the man made a phone call to Ravinder Singh's family, the police said
#SukhYouthMurdered in Pakistan ; The bullet riddled body of Ravinder Singh (25) was found near #Chamkini Police station the check point if #KyeberAgency . According to police they investigating further . pic.twitter.com/uvxpeXNwlU
— Ravinder Singh Robin ਰਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ راویندرسنگھ روبن (@rsrobin1) January 5, 2020
Investigators officials said that they were probing the murder from “different angles”.
“The victim was to get married in February. We are investigating whether a jilted lover may have committed the crime. The victim had also given a sum of money as loan… So we are also investigating that angle too. We will also look at whether robbery was a motive,” the investigator said.
His brother Harmeet Singh told the media that an unknown person called him from his brother’s cellphone on Saturday and informed him that his brother had been killed. “The government must arrest the culprits as early as possible. I will not find peace until the criminals are arrested,” he said.
A #SIKHYOUTH Ravinder Singh was killed by unknown persons in #Peshawar . Harmeet Singh who is brother of Ravinder Singh urging media for help. pic.twitter.com/mXksqnUiPx
— Ravinder Singh Robin ਰਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ راویندرسنگھ روبن (@rsrobin1) January 5, 2020
In a tweet, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said he wad “shocked & anguished” over the killing of the Sikh youth. The tweet further read, “@ImranKhanPTI govt must ensure thorough investigation & strict punishment for the culprits. This is the time to act on what you preach.”
Shocked & anguished over killing of Sikh youth Ravinder Singh in #Pakistan, coming on heels of #NankanaSahibAttack. @ImranKhanPTI govt must ensure thorough investigation & strict punishment for the culprits. This is the time to act on what you preach.https://t.co/80hTQMTXm2
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) January 5, 2020
Harmeet Singh appealed to Pakistanis to highlight the incident so that his brother’s killers are brought to justice. “We do not have personal enmity with anyone,” he said. He added that Sikhs were being repeatedly targeted and there is no protection for Pakistan’s minorities.
#BREAKING: Sikh man Ravinder Singh murdered in Peshawar Pakistan, body pumped with bullets by 'unknown persons'. Usually 'unknown persons' in Pak means ISI/ISPR. Ravinder is brother of Pak journalist Harmeet Singh. He was in Peshawar to shop for his wedding. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/Hb8fWKW0mY
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) January 5, 2020
“Till the government of Pakistan brings to justice my brother’s murderers, I will not stop,” he says. “Today I have picked up the dead body. Tomorrow my other brothers of Sikh, Christian, Hindu community will have to face such a situation. You tell the world minorities are safe but we pick up dead bodies of our loved ones every year,” he said.
Harmeet Singh,brother of murdered Sikh youth #ParvinderSingh in Pak also narrates in this chat with me how Hindu girls in Sindh are converted to Islam and minority Christians are murdered. Pakistan has failed to provide justice to us, he says, while expressing helplessness.2/3 pic.twitter.com/lQa0QZTZUL
— Ravinder Singh Robin ਰਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ راویندرسنگھ روبن (@rsrobin1) January 5, 2020
Harmeet Singh, brother of murdered Sikh youth #ParvinderSingh in #Pakistan while talking to me urged media fraternity to become his voice to raise up to the authorities . He supports media from around the world who are supporting his voice to get justice in Pakistan. 3/3 pic.twitter.com/EkGeTVjT3D
— Ravinder Singh Robin ਰਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ راویندرسنگھ روبن (@rsrobin1) January 5, 2020
The Ministry of External Affairs was quick to react on Sunday after murder reports emerged.
A statement from the external affairs ministry said India called on the Pakistan government to “stop prevaricating and take immediate action to apprehend and give exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of these heinous acts”. Pakistan “should act in defence of their own minorities instead of preaching sermons about it to other countries”, the statement said in an apparent reference to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s recent comments on the status of India’s minorities.
On Friday, an angry mob of Muslims surrounded Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, the shrine built at the birthplace of Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak, and threatened to occupy the building if some people detained in connection with the alleged forcible conversion of Jagjit Kaur were not released. Hundreds of people joined the protest, which ended on Friday evening after officials intervened. A sizeable number of Sikhs were caught within the gurdwara and the protest created fear among Sikh residents.
MEA: India calls upon the Government of Pakistan to stop prevaricating & take immediate action to apprehend & give exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of these heinous acts. https://t.co/bEKU34REsF
— ANI (@ANI) January 5, 2020
A day after mob attacked our holy shrine #GurdwaraNankanaSahib, this brutal murder of Sikh youth in Peshawar shows the extent of persecution minorities face in Pak. I urge PM @narendramodi ji to imm take up the issue with @ImranKhanPTI & ensure the safety of Sikh brethren there. pic.twitter.com/Dj6c3Mplup
— Harsimrat Kaur Badal (@HarsimratBadal_) January 5, 2020