Sikh singer assaulted in Vashi; accuses two men wanted in 2016 murder of spiritual leader in Punjab

Navi Mumbai: The police on Saturday booked two men and a gang of 10 others for assaulting a Sikh bhajan singer from Gurdaspur, Punjab, in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, on Friday. The victim, 45-year-old Lakhwinder Surjit Singh, alleged that one of the attackers is a suspect wanted by Punjab police in the 2016 murder of Baba Bhupinder Singh Dhakki Sahib Wale, a close associate of religious preacher Baba Ranjit Singh Dhadrian Wala.

Lakhwinder claims the attack was an act of revenge for his support to Bhupinder Singh’s family following the murder.

As per his complaint, the assault took place when his vehicle was intercepted while he was en route to the airport to return to Punjab after a personal visit to Mumbai. The two main accused have been identified as Happy Singh, 35, a resident of Kamothe, and Jaspal Singh, 42, a resident of Belapur. Jaspal Singh is also alleged to be wanted in connection with the 2016 murder of Bhupinder Singh.

2016 murder case

The murder case dates back to May 17, 2016, when Bhupinder Singh, seated in the front seat of a vehicle transporting Baba Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale to a religious congregation in Ludhiana, was mistakenly killed in an assassination attempt on the preacher. Bhupinder Singh suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head, and the case remains under investigation by Punjab police.

Friday’s assault

Lakhwinder told the police that his taxi, borrowed from a friend in Kharghar, was intercepted on a highway en route to the airport. “Two men got out of the car. They are wanted by Punjab police in Bhupinder Singh’s murder case,” he alleged.

Happy Singh attacked Lakhwinder’s left hand with an iron rod, and Jaspal Singh struck his head with an axe. The gang of 10 then beat him with wooden sticks. “After Bhupinder Singh’s death, I helped his family in every possible way, including assisting in legal proceedings. This attack was meant to intimidate me into severing ties with them,” he stated.

Abduction and threats

Following the assault, the gang abducted Lakhwinder and forced him to record a video statement. “They threatened me with guns and other weapons, demanding I promise not to contact Bhupinder Singh’s family or speak out against them. I pleaded for my life, reminding them of my family,” said the singer, who is currently undergoing treatment at Vashi Municipal Hospital.

After the video was recorded, the attackers abandoned Lakhwinder at the location where he had been abducted.

Police booked the assailants under sections 115(2) (voluntarily hurt), 118(1),(2) (hurt with a dangerous weapon), 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 127(2) (wrongful confinement), 189(2) (wrongful assembly of five or more), 190 (unlawful assembly crime, 191(2),(3) (armed with a deadly weapon), 351(3) (criminal intimidation), 352 (intentional insult) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).

Investigating officer Kuldeep Deshmukh confirmed that the allegations of the accused’s involvement in the 2016 murder case would be thoroughly probed. “We will verify the victim’s claims with the Punjab police,” he stated.