Sikh child murdered, two more “seriously injured” after Indian “mob lynching”

A 14-year-old Sikh child died after a mob attacked him and two others aged 15 and 16 in Parbhani, Maharashtra (India) on 27th May, leading to worldwide outrage and calls for action.

The three boys – named as the late Kirpal Singh, and Avtar Singh (16) and Arun Singh (15) – were accused of attempting to steal a goat by locals who degenerated into a murderous mob, beating the teens severely, leading to one death and two serious injuries. The boys were said to be attempting to retrieve escaped pigs from their village stock.

Videos (which we will not share) of the beaten boys surrounded by a mob went viral after the incident, prompting calls for justice led by Sikh authority the SGPC. Media reports claim the boys reported a gang of five targeted them on site as they searched a local Muslim majority area for their pigs.

The incident has underlined concerns that India remains a dangerous place where Sikh lives are cheap as mob justice reigns in the country where the Sikh community remains below 2% of the population. Whilst Hindutva (Hindu extremism) is often viewed as the driving force of most anti-Sikh actions in India, this latest incident was believed to be carried out by Muslims who make up closer to 20% of India.

The boys are part of the sikligar Sikh community, who were historically the ironmongers of the Kaum (Sikh nation) who were revered for their weapon making skills. In the modern day, the sikligar Sikhs have become some of the most impoverished groups within the community and are often targeted for violence, as reported by The Quint.

As of yet, just one arrest has been reported of a man named as Akram Patel, with another arrestee still sought according to latest reports.

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