Who Was Lakhbir Singh, the Man Who Was Lynched, Mutilated at Singhu Border?

A 36-year-old Dalit man was found dead, mutilated and strung up to a police barricade at a farmers' protest site.

A 36-year-old Dalit man was found dead, mutilated, and strung up to an upturned police barricade at a farmers' protest site on the Singhu border in the early hours of Friday, 15 October.

(Photo Courtesy: Screenshot/ Twitter)

A 36-year-old Dalit man was found dead, mutilated, and strung up to an upturned police barricade at a farmers' protest site on the Singhu border in the early hours of Friday, 15 October.

The deceased, identified as Lakhbir Singh, had his legs and left wrist severed off. Horrific visuals of the incident surfaced on social media shortly after the body was discovered.

Initial media reports claimed Nihangs, a 'warrior' Sikh group, as the accused in the incident. Later in the day, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) issued a statement echoing this accusation.

"A Nihang group at the scene has claimed responsibility, saying that the incident took place because of the deceased's attempt to commit sacrilege with regard to the Sarbaloh Granth," the statement read.

But who was Lakhbir Singh?

A Husband, Brother, Father of Three

The 36-year-old was a resident of Cheema Khurd village in Jalandhar's Tarn Taran district, and belonged to the Dalit community.

At six months old, Lakhbir was adopted by his uncle Harnam Singh, India Today reported.

Locals from Cheema Kurd and the village sarpanch stated that Lakhbir lived with his sister, and both his parents had passed away.

DSP Sucha Singh stated, “He was the only person from the village to go to Singhu," The Indian Express quoted.

Lakhbir worked as a labourer and held no political affiliations or previous criminal records, the police reported.

As per the authorities, he is survived by his wife, Jaspreet Kaur and his three children aged eight, 10, and 12, respectively.

(With inputs from ANI, India Today and The Indian Express.)