A video showing a man being slapped and beaten by a group of Nihangs on the way to Golden Temple has surfaced online raising concerns about public safety and law enforcement and according to information available the incident took place on March 30 on the route leading to the shrine.
In the video a group of Nihangs can be seen surrounding a man scolding him and hitting him and one Nihang slaps him first after which others also slap him and later another person is seen hitting him with a stick. During the incident the man is seen pleading for mercy with folded hands and even touching their feet but the Nihangs chase him away from the spot warning him not to return.
The one-minute video shows Nihang leader Paramjit Singh Akali Nihang confronting the man as he accuses him of creating problems in the area and soon after he slaps the man following which others also hit him. The Nihangs can be heard saying that such people harass devotees and force them to rent rooms for money and they also express concern about the safety and respect of women and the religious environment of the area.
The Nihangs claimed that the man was stopping devotees and pressuring them to take rooms for around Rs 200 and they alleged that such behaviour was troubling visitors and damaging the image of Amritsar and the Golden Temple. They also said they were returning from a protest on the heritage route where they were demanding closure of liquor shops and meat outlets near the shrine.
Paramjit Singh Akali said the intention was not to seriously harm the man but to warn him and he stated that such actions were taken to maintain discipline in the area especially because a large number of devotees visit daily.
After the incident SHO Amandeep Kaur from Ram Bagh police station reached the spot and spoke to those present and advised that any such issues should be reported to the police instead of taking action into one’s own hands and as of now, no formal case has been registered in connection with the incident.