Gurdwara sevadar abducted in Afghanistan

A Sikh man has been abducted from a Gurdwara in Afghanistan by Taliban terrorists.

Gurdwara sevadar (selfless servant) Nidan Singh was kidnapped from Chamkani town in the Paktika province in Eastern Afghanistan four days ago. According to Afghan Sikh Senator Dr Anarkali Kaur Honarya, Singh was in Chamkani to perform seva at the historic Guru Nanak Gurdwara.

“He was kidnapped at midnight from the Gurdwara. We are trying to locate him. He is a poor family man,” she said.

Chamkani’s district governor announced that the Taliban were behind the abduction, and that five suspects have been arrested.

“Singh is the Caretaker of Gurdwaras in South East Afghanistan. Taliban have kidnapped him. We arrested five suspects but Singh is yet to be recovered,” he told Afghan radio station Azadi Radio.

In March this year, Sri Guru Har Rai Gurdwara in Kabul, Afghanistan was stormed by gunmen, leaving 25 people dead. The following day, a bomb was detonated at the victims’ funeral but the congregation survived unharmed, and then on a third consecutive day of attacks, bombs were found at the Gurdwara complex yet again, but attendees escaped unhurt.

The Taliban denied involvement in these attacks on the Sikh community, and Afghan security forces arrested eight Islamic State militants in May for their role in the massacre and bombings.

Film maker Pritpal Singh, who has produced several documentaries on the Afghan Sikh community, said: “What is clear is that Sikhs in Afghanistan need help from the international community. Whether it is India, UK, Europe, North America or anywhere else, the community needs somewhere that they can go to for asylum.”