Vienna attack suspects do not belong to Punjab
Punjab Newsline Network
Friday, 29 May 2009
PunjabNewsline.com - Vienna attack suspects do not belong to Punjab
CHANDIGARH: None of the five suspects arrested and identified by Austrian police, belonged to Punjab state where violence erupted following attack on two religious leaders from India in Vienna on May 24 last.
The six suspects had attacked two religious leaders of dera Sach Khand in Punjab that killed Sant Rama Nand and injured 16 others including Sant Niranjan Dass, head of dera. The sixth accsued who is said to be mastermind, beaten by dera followers is still in coma in hospital.
Harcharan Bains media advisor to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Friday said that no accused arrested by Vienna police belonged to Punjab. He said that the motive of attack in Vienna would be clear after investigation by Austria police.
The Austria police spokesman Michael Takacs has told a new agency in Vienna that the six men, belongs to northern Indian states. Their identity was difficult because they had given several names to the police, which is why they could not be identified sooner, police spokesman said.
All six were in custody, although one of them, believed to be the mastermind behind the attack, was still in hospital in an induced coma after a shot to the head, according to police. He is still to be identified.
Takacs revealed that two of the men -- named as Charnjit Singh, 24 and from Uttar Pradesh, Hardeep Singh, 33 had come to Austria illegally in 2001 and 2008.
The other four were seeking asylum. Sukhwinde Singh, 28, from the state of Haryana, arrived in 2001, citing a family feud for fleeing India, while Jaspal Singh, 34, came in 2008 and requested asylum on religious grounds.
Satwinder Singh, 28, from Uttar Pradesh and Tarsum Singh, 45, from Gujarat, made only vague asylum claims. None of the men were related or had a prior criminal record, Takacs also said.
The men are accused of attacking a gathering at a Sikh temple on Sunday with knives and at least one gun.
Certain news reports had said that suspects are members of Khalistan Zindabad Force(KZF), a banned pro-Khalistan organisation. The KZF chief Ranjit Singh Jammu however yesterday in a statement denied theit involvement and condemnded the incident as barbaric.
Meanwhile, Harcharan Bains said that the Punjab government has not yet received any information about arrival of dead body of Sant Rama Nand from Austria. He said that they were waiting call from Indian government which is in touch with the Austrian counterpart.
Sant Niranjan Dass and Rama Nand belonged to dera Sachkand in village Ballan on Jalandhar-Pathankot road having folowers from dalit samaj. The dera is a shrine built in the memory of Guru Ravi Dass.
Punjab Newsline Network
Friday, 29 May 2009
PunjabNewsline.com - Vienna attack suspects do not belong to Punjab
CHANDIGARH: None of the five suspects arrested and identified by Austrian police, belonged to Punjab state where violence erupted following attack on two religious leaders from India in Vienna on May 24 last.
The six suspects had attacked two religious leaders of dera Sach Khand in Punjab that killed Sant Rama Nand and injured 16 others including Sant Niranjan Dass, head of dera. The sixth accsued who is said to be mastermind, beaten by dera followers is still in coma in hospital.
Harcharan Bains media advisor to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Friday said that no accused arrested by Vienna police belonged to Punjab. He said that the motive of attack in Vienna would be clear after investigation by Austria police.
The Austria police spokesman Michael Takacs has told a new agency in Vienna that the six men, belongs to northern Indian states. Their identity was difficult because they had given several names to the police, which is why they could not be identified sooner, police spokesman said.
All six were in custody, although one of them, believed to be the mastermind behind the attack, was still in hospital in an induced coma after a shot to the head, according to police. He is still to be identified.
Takacs revealed that two of the men -- named as Charnjit Singh, 24 and from Uttar Pradesh, Hardeep Singh, 33 had come to Austria illegally in 2001 and 2008.
The other four were seeking asylum. Sukhwinde Singh, 28, from the state of Haryana, arrived in 2001, citing a family feud for fleeing India, while Jaspal Singh, 34, came in 2008 and requested asylum on religious grounds.
Satwinder Singh, 28, from Uttar Pradesh and Tarsum Singh, 45, from Gujarat, made only vague asylum claims. None of the men were related or had a prior criminal record, Takacs also said.
The men are accused of attacking a gathering at a Sikh temple on Sunday with knives and at least one gun.
Certain news reports had said that suspects are members of Khalistan Zindabad Force(KZF), a banned pro-Khalistan organisation. The KZF chief Ranjit Singh Jammu however yesterday in a statement denied theit involvement and condemnded the incident as barbaric.
Meanwhile, Harcharan Bains said that the Punjab government has not yet received any information about arrival of dead body of Sant Rama Nand from Austria. He said that they were waiting call from Indian government which is in touch with the Austrian counterpart.
Sant Niranjan Dass and Rama Nand belonged to dera Sachkand in village Ballan on Jalandhar-Pathankot road having folowers from dalit samaj. The dera is a shrine built in the memory of Guru Ravi Dass.
