JAIPUR: A group of youths allegedly beat up a Sikh boy and cut his hair here on Monday.

The Sikh-dominated Raja Park area here witnessed protest rallies on Tuesday. The markets remained closed while a group of people sat on a dharna in front of the Raja Park Gurdwara, demanding the arrest of the culprits.

Cases registered

The chairman of the Rajasthan Minorities Commission, Jasbir Singh, who remained in the area to pacify the anguished community, told The Hindu that he had spoken to Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria. Cases under various Sections of the IPC had been registered and these were non-bailable.

The boy, a class XII student, was on his way back home after school when about half a dozen youths allegedly intercepted him. They dragged him into their car and, after beating him, committed the outrage.

The boy's father said: "I had a difficult time explaining to the police the significance of `kesh' (long hair maintained by men as part of the Sikh faith) for a Sikh." Only after the intervention of Superintendent of Police (North) V.K. Singh that a case was registered.

Youth named

The boy has named a youth who had threatened him earlier, as one of the assailants. The attack is reported to be a sequel to a dispute.

The Pradesh Congress Committee and the Rajasthan People's Union for Civil Liberties condemned the incident, terming it yet another case of attack on the minorities in the State.

PCC spokesperson Param Navdeep Singh demanded the suspension of the policemen who initially refused to register the complaint.

The PUCL said the attack added to the feeling of insecurity among the minority communities in Rajasthan. "First it was Muslims and then Christians. Now they have turned against the Sikhs," said the president and general secretary of the Rajasthan PUCL, Than Singh and Kavita Srivastava.

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