File Photo: Yogendra Yadav (Facebook account)

Summary

NEW DELHI: Hours after a man was brutally killed at the farmers protest site at Singhu border, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) condemned the murderโ€ฆ

NEW DELHI: Hours after a man was brutally killed at the farmers protest site at Singhu border, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) condemned the murder and distanced itself from the incident. The farmersโ€™ body demanded that the culprits be punished according to law after investigating the allegation of murder and conspiracy behind sacrilege.

The statement from the farmers body issued by Balbir Singh Rajewal, Dr Darshan Pal, Gurnam Singh Charuni, Hannan Mollah, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Shivkumar Sharma โ€˜Kakkajiโ€™, Yudhvir Singh, Yogendra Yadav came hours after a man, Lakhbir Singh, a resident of Punjabโ€™s Tarn Taran was found brutally killed at the farmersโ€™ protest site on Friday morning.

The Haryana Police has registered a case of murder and started the investigation.

In its statement, the SKM said, โ€œIt has come to the notice that a person hailing from from Punjab was mutilated and murdered this morning at the Singhu border.โ€ ALSO READ & WATCH: Man Hanged To Death At Farmer Protest Site, Haryana Cops Begin Murder Probe On Nihangs

It also said that a โ€œNihangโ€ group at the scene has claimed responsibility, saying that the incident took place because of the deceasedโ€™s attempt to commit sacrilege with regard to the Sarbaloh Granth.

It further stated that it is been reported that this deceased was staying with the same group of Nihangs for some time.

Distancing itself from the incident, the farmers body said, โ€œSKM condemns this gruesome 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.โ€

It stated that SKM is against โ€œsacrilegeโ€ of any religious text or symbol, but that does not give anyone the right to take the law into their own hands.

โ€œWe demand that the culprits be punished according to law after investigating the allegation of murder and conspiracy behind sacrilege,โ€ it said, adding that as always, SKM will cooperate with the police and administration in any lawful action.

This peaceful and democratic movement is opposed to violence in any form, it added.

READ FULL STATEMENT BY SKM BELOW: 

Another farmer leader Bhupender, while speaking to the The New Indian, condemned the brutal murder and said, โ€œSuch brutal murder at the farmers protest is condemnable. And we also want to make it clear that farmers respect all religions and it will never accept any kind of sacrilege or disrespect towards any religion or its holy books.โ€
He also said that no one has right to take law in their hands. โ€œLaw will take its own course and the protesting farmers have no relation with those behind the murder of the farmer,โ€ he added.
Hundreds of farmers from Punjab, western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana have been protesting against the three farm laws since November 26 last year at several borders of Delhi.
They have been demanding the withdrawal of the three farm laws and to ensure minimum support price for their produce. The government had held several eouns of talks with the farmers, which has remained inconclusive.