The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Friday issued a statement condemning the "gruesome killing" of a man whose mutilated body was found this morning near the farmers' protest site at Kundli in Haryana on the Singhu Border near Delhi.
The SKM, an umbrella organisation under which many unions are protesting against farm laws, said that "both the parties to the incident, the Nihang group and the deceased person, have no relation with the Samyukt Kisan Morcha".
"Samyukt Kisan Morcha condemns this gruesome killing and wants to make it clear that both the parties to this incident, the Nihang group (accused) and the deceased person, have no relation with Samyukt Kisan Morcha," the statement read.
According to SKM, "A person hailing from Punjab (Lakhbir Singh, son Darshan Singh, Village Cheema Kala, Police Station Sarai Amanat Khan, District Tarn Taran) was mutilated and murdered this morning at the Singhu Border."
"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," added the statement.
According to the Haryana Police, the deceased has been identified as Lakhbir Singh, a labourer aged 35 or 36-year-old hailing from Punjab's Tarn Taran.
The body was found hanging on a police barricade at the farmers' protest site near Singhu border in the early hours of Friday, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Hansraj said.
The SKM has demanded that the culprits should be punished after lawful investigation into the allegation of murder and conspiracy behind sacrilege and they will "cooperate with the police and administration in any lawful action."
The group said that it is "against sacrilege of any religious text or symbol, but that does not give anyone the right to take the law into their own hands".
"This peaceful and democratic movement is opposed to violence in any form," the SKM said .
Earlier, on Friday morning, Deputy Superintendent of Police of Hansraj said, "At about 5 am today, Kundli police station received information about a body of a man hanged near a stage where the farmers have been protesting at the Singhu border."
"A police inspector reached the site with a team and found that the man's body only had his undergarment on and his hands and legs were chopped off. He was found hanging on a police barricade," he added.
( With inputs from ANI )
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