‘Deviant’ Sikh preacher shot dead in Austria

Barry Duke on May 25th, 2009

THERE are fewer than 3,000 Sikhs in Austria –but even among this tiny number there are bitter sectarian differences that led to the killing yesterday of a preacher in a temple in Vienna.

Guru Sant Rama Nand, 57, died from gunshot wounds after an emergency operation. A second, Guru Sant Niranjan Dass, 68, is in a stable condition. He too had been shot.

At least 15 other people were wounded when six armed men attacked the two preachers visiting from India with a gun and knives during a ceremony in the temple.

According to this report, four of the attackers were severely wounded, two of them critically, when they were overpowered by worshippers. The other two were only lightly wounded and are in police detention.

At least some of the attackers were Austrian residents, who had previously been given asylum in Austria.
Sikh's priotesting in the Punjab over guru's murder

Sikh's priotesting in the Punjab over guru's murder

As a result of the attack, thousands protested in the Indian state of Punjab today, torching a train, vehicles and shops. Authorities imposed a curfew on parts of the state, and the army was put on standby after members mainly of the Dalit community protested.

Austrian news agency APA quoted temple officials as saying members of rival temples had threatened violence if the guru was allowed to preach in Austria. Police denied they had been warned of a possible attack.

The guru who died was said to be from the Dera Sach Khand, a religious sect which draws large support from the Dalit community and is considered separate from mainstream Sikhism. It differs from mainstream Sikhism on several religious points – a source of annoyance to pious Sikhs, analysts say.

Dr Parmod Kumar, a political scientist, explained:

Sects like the Sach Khand broadly follow Sikhism but make their own diversions and as such cannot be included in Sikhism. The Dera Sach Khand follow a living guru which Sikhism cannot accept at all. Sikhs react strongly to this and that is why the clashes between the Dera followers and mainstream Sikhs occur.

Religion, any religion, is hazardous to health. Away from it!