Sikh youth murder: India urges Pak to take 'exemplary' action

With the vandalism at the Sikh shrine - Gurudwara Nankana Sahib - in Pakistan followed by the killing of a Sikh youth by an unidentified person in Pakistan’s Peshawar city on Sunday, the Ministry of External Affairs called upon the neighbouring country to stop "prevaricating" and take "immediate action" against the perpetrators.

New Delhi:India on Sunday condemned the killing of a Sikh youth in Peshawar as well as the attack on Sikh shrine - Gurudwara Nankana Sahib - and called upon Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to take immediate action against the perpetrators.

"India strongly condemns targeted killing of minority Sikh community member in Peshawar (Pakistan) that follows recent despicable vandalism and desecration of Gurudwara Sri Janam Asthan at Nankana Sahib and the unresolved case of abduction, forced conversion and marriage of a Sikh girl, " the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

"India calls upon the Government of Pakistan to stop prevaricating and take immediate action to apprehend and give exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of these heinous acts, " the statement read further.

Earlier today, the Pakistani media reported that a Sikh youth, identified as Ravinder Singh, was found murdered in Peshawar by unidentified persons.

According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations in Peshawar, the victim's bullet-ridden body was found in an area that falls under Chamkani police station.

Singh, 25, was the brother of an Islamabad-based journalist, Harmeet Singh.

Singh was a resident of Shangla district at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He had come home from Malaysia and gone to Peshawar to shop for his wedding.

After his murder, Ravinder Singh's family received a phone call from an unknown man who informed them about the incident, the police said.

Meanwhile, the body has been shifted to a hospital for post mortem.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh condemned the killing in a tweet.

Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal also took to Twitter urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the issue with Pakistan PM.

Earlier on Friday evening, a group of angry local residents had pelted stones at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. The group was led by the family of a man who had allegedly abducted a Sikh woman from her home last August.