11 Afghan Sikhs, Ashes Of Man Killed In Kabul Gurudwara Attack Arrive In Delhi
A group of 11 Afghan Sikhs arrived in the Indian capital on Thursday, less than two weeks after the minority community came under yet another terror attack in their homeland. The ashes of Sawinder Singh, who was killed in the attack on a gurdwara in Kabul last week were also brought to India by them.
A group of 11 Afghan Sikhs arrived in the Indian capital on Thursday, less than two weeks after the minority community came under yet another terror attack in their homeland.
The ashes of Sawinder Singh, who was killed in the attack on a gurdwara in Kabul last week were also brought to India by them.
Screengrab
Singh ran a "paan" shop in Kabul and lived in the Karte Parwan gurdwara. His family lives in Delhi.
Man injured in Gurudwara attack also flown to India
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had made arrangements for the transfer of the 11 Afghan Sikhs in coordination with the Indian World Forum and the Indian government.
The SGPC bore the cost of their travel. It will also give financial aid to those seeking rehabilitation in India.
"Eleven Afghan Sikhs will arrive at the Delhi airport with the ashes of Sawinder Singh. Raqbir Singh, who was injured in the attack, is also part of this group," a representative of the Indian World Forum said.
Special Flight carrying 11 Afghan Sikhs to arrive today frm Kabul. Raqbir Singh who ws injured in Kabul Gurudwara terror attack on 18th June and ashes of martyr Swinder Singh also arriving
¡ª Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) June 30, 2022
Thanking PM @narendramodi Ji & @AmitShah Ji fr full support & quick action fr Afghan Sikhs pic.twitter.com/z7tZuFa3u7
Earlier, on June 19, India had granted emergency e-visas to 111 Hindus and Sikhs from Afghanistan, following the terror attack on the Karte Parwan gurdwara.
Two people including a Sikh man and a Muslim security guard died and seven others were wounded.
AFP
The Islamic State - Khorasan Province (ISKP) had claimed responsibility for the attack on Karte Parwan Gurdwara.
Afghanistan's dwindling Sikh population
The Sikh community in Afghanistan, which in the 1970s had a population of around five lakhs has now been reduced to less than two hundred.
Ever since the conflict in Afghanistan began and the emergence of the Taliban Sikhs, like other religious minorities, have been subjected to persecution and targeted killings forcing many to flee the country.
A large section of them has since made countries including India, Canada, the US, and the UK their home.
After Taliban, Sikhs face threat from IS
Many of them who had stayed back in Afghanistan following the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001 were forced to leave their homes, businesses, and other belongings behind last year after the ultras once again returned to power.
The Kabul Gurudwara that was attacked earlier this month had become a shelter for many Sikhs following the Taliban takeover.
AFP
While the Taliban has urged Afghan Sikhs not to leave the country, the community has increasingly come under attack by the ISKP.
It had also launched a deadly terror attack on Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib gurudwara in Kabul's Short Bazaar area in March 2020, killing 27 Sikhs.
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Bobins Abraham is the Assistant News Editor at Indiatimes. He has more than twelve years of experience in TV and digital journalism. An avid student of history and geopolitics, he is a conservationist and environmentalist at heart. He writes on environment, sustainability, human-animal conflict and more.
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