24-year-old man from Canada beaten to death outside Punjab's Anandpur Sahib; shocking video surfaces

A 24-year-old man from Canada was killed with sharp-edged weapons at Anandpur Sahib gurdwara, in Rupnagar district, during the Hola Mohalla festival late on Monday evening, for allegedly objecting to loud music played by the accused near the historic shrine.

The deceased, identified as Pardeep Singh, is a resident of Canada, who had recently come from Canada and visited Anandpur Sahib gurdwara on March 6, according to police.

Singh got into a brawl with a group of youths after he reportedly asked them not to play loud music at the entrance of the gurdwara.

Nihang Sikhs were manning the stretch from Kiratpur Sahib gurdwara to Anandpur Sahib gurdwara and spotted some people allegedly playing loud music in their vehicles, according to media reports. However, Singh, who was also present on the spot, asked them not to play loud music. On this, the accused got into an altercation with Singh and grievously injured him.

One of the accused, identified as Niranjan Singh, who was also found to be critically hurt in the brawl, was rushed to the PGIMER here, where he is undergoing treatment. The accused Niranjan hailed from Nurpurbedi area, Ropar district, and the investigation into the matter is underway, said Rupnagar SSP V S Soni.

Police took Singh, who was lying on the road, to a nearby hospital, where he was declared brought dead. Though Singh was dressed like a Nihang Sikh, he was not found to be associated with any Nihang Sikh group, police said.

Soni refuted reports that bullets were fired during the brawl and said that Niranjan’s vehicle had been seized and his statement would be recorded after his treatment.

According to reports, Pardeep Singh hailed from Gurdaspur district and had gone to Canada in 2016 and taken permanent residency there.

The Hola Mohalla festival, one of the largest religious congregations in Punjab, is celebrated at Anandpur Sahib gurdwara annually to mark Holi festival in line with Sikh traditions along with the display of traditional martial arts by the soldiers of Guru Gobind Singh, the the tenth Sikh guru.