Sikh religious and rationalist organizations calling for boycotting sorcerers

Moga, Punjab: The inhuman incident of an ‘exorcist’ Sarpanch of a Punjab village killing a teenage girl by hitting with hot tongs in the name of getting her rid of ‘evil spirits’ has got the religious and rationalist organizations to pitch in for pulling out people from the clutches of superstition. The religious, rationalist groups and even director general school education are also for inculcating scientific approach among masses to avoid recurrence of such incidents and are out to spread awareness. If the former head priest of Harmandar Sahib(supreme temporal seat of Sikhs) Giani Jagtar Singh on Monday got along villagers in demolishing the structure of the exorcist sarpanch, rationalist society is organizing a social congregation at the village to spread scientific message and education department has started organizing scientific shows across schools in Punjab much vigoursly after the incident.

Meanwhile, exorcist sarpanch Pal Kaur along with her husband Darbara Singh and two others has been put behind bars after a local court remanded them in judicial custody upon the expiry of four days police remand on Monday evening. A campaign has also started gaining ground to make people boycott sorcerers.

Village Bhinder Kalan in Moga sarpanch Pal Kaur had on August 22 killed her own 10 years niece Veerpal Kaur by hitting mercilessly with hot tongs in the name of getting her rid of evil spirits. Going by the incident Harmandar Sahib’ ex head priest taking along followers on Monday evening demolished the structures raised by sorcerer Pal Kaur to practice exorcism. Jagtar Singh said “such deras, samadhis, which spreads exorcism have no place in this society and these better need to be demolished”. He exhorted people to shun superstitions.

“Tarksheel(Rationalist) society is organizing a social congregation on September 1 to get people out of superstitions and to make them adopt scientific approach as the exorcists not only loot the poor people but also go on to the extent of killing innocents to prove their points of having celestial powers”, said society founder and writer Megh Raj Mittar.

District education officer Mewa Singh said though school education department is going ahead with programmes against rising menace of superstitions but this inhuman incident the department has started working vigorously especially in rural areas.

Veerpal Kaur of village Manawan was not keeping well. Girl’ father Malkit Singh, who is in menial jobs got her to different quacks but the girl got not much relief. Malkit Singh on August 22 got the girl to Pal Kaur at Bhinder Kalan, who advised Malkit that Veerpal is in the grip of ‘evil spirits’ and taking along her husband Darbara Singh, tantric Mukhtiar Singh started beating her with tongs in the presence of many persons. When Veerpal not tolerating the blows of hot tongs demanded water, Sarpanch laughed and keep on saying bhoot pani mang reha hai(evil spirit is demanding water) and kept on beating the girl. Woefully nobody present at the scene came forward in saving the girl and the girl breathed her last at the spot. Upon informing, police arrested the four.

Moga SSP Surjit Singh Grewal said “the four including Pal Kaur have been sent to jail after local court remanded them in judicial custody for 14 days”.