New Delhi: Five people have been arrested in the abduction case of local Sikh Gurdwara helper Nidan Singh Sachdeva on Monday.
As per Afghan media reports, he was kidnapped in Samkani district of Paktia province of Afghanistan four days ago, while he was engaged in religious voluntary work at historical Gurudwara related to first Sikh Guru Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
After his abduction, the Afghan Sikh community living in the United States has again urged the Government of India to help in the resettlement of the Sikhs living in Afghanistan.
They have appealed to India to make special arrangements under Vande Bharat Mission for over 600 Sikhs.
Dr Anarkali Kaur, MP Upper house Afghanistan has confirmed to local Afghan media that efforts are being made to rescue Sachdeva.
The Hindu and Sikh minorities in Afghanistan are often threatened and attacked by terrorist organisations.
In March 2020, Gurdwara Har Rai Sahib at Kabul was attacked and 27 Sikhs lost their life.
Presently, around 700 Sikh and Hindu families are living in Afghanistan while most of the families chose to leave Afghanistan for India, Canada, USA and other European countries.
Worried for the lives of the Sikh minorities living in Kabul, Jalalabad and Ghazni, the Sikh community, has been constantly seeking support from India.
Encouraged by steps taken by the Indian government, leaders of the Afghan Sikh community have made several appeals to India to accommodate the Sikhs and Hindus from Afghanistan and grant them legal entry with a long-term residency multiple-entry visa.
The community leaders living in the United States said it is imperative to alleviate the dire situation of religious minorities in Afghanistan who look to India as the only safe haven in the region.
The Indian government had introduced the Citizenship Amendment Act to give citizenship to persecuted minorities in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
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