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CHANDIGARH: Three Punjab natives of a four-member Dhadi jatha (ballad singers) on a six-month sponsored tour to perform at Canada gurdwaras have disappeared, with the group head suspecting the trio might have planned the desertion to seek asylum as refugees through fraudulent means.
Brothers Harpal Singh, 39, and Ranjit Singh Rana, 30, vanished along with Rajesh Singh Mahay, 36, on January 22 from Calgary, group head and noted singer Jaswinder Singh Shant said. Several such disappearances of Punjab band members abroad have been reported in the past few years.
Speaking to TOI from Surrey in Canada on Sunday, Shant described it as a very unfortunate incident that will bring a bad name to Sikhism, Punjab as well as India. Shant said before leaving India, Harpal and Ranjit had got their photos clicked with Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann. However, Shant was quick to clarify that Mann, who openly supports the Khalistan movement, had no knowledge about their intentions.
“Now I understand that their intention was to misuse those photos by claiming that they are related to Mann’s party and there is a threat to their life in India,” said Shant. “The visas of Harpal and Ranjit are valid till February 23 and they have already applied for extension. But we have withdrawn their application,” Shant added.
“Since our trip was sponsored by the gurdwara committee of Victoria city in British Columbia where we had to perform at the Baisakhi festival, the Victoria police have registered a formal case on the gurdwara committee’s complaint,” he said.
Brothers Harpal Singh, 39, and Ranjit Singh Rana, 30, vanished along with Rajesh Singh Mahay, 36, on January 22 from Calgary, group head and noted singer Jaswinder Singh Shant said. Several such disappearances of Punjab band members abroad have been reported in the past few years.
Speaking to TOI from Surrey in Canada on Sunday, Shant described it as a very unfortunate incident that will bring a bad name to Sikhism, Punjab as well as India. Shant said before leaving India, Harpal and Ranjit had got their photos clicked with Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann. However, Shant was quick to clarify that Mann, who openly supports the Khalistan movement, had no knowledge about their intentions.
“Now I understand that their intention was to misuse those photos by claiming that they are related to Mann’s party and there is a threat to their life in India,” said Shant. “The visas of Harpal and Ranjit are valid till February 23 and they have already applied for extension. But we have withdrawn their application,” Shant added.
“Since our trip was sponsored by the gurdwara committee of Victoria city in British Columbia where we had to perform at the Baisakhi festival, the Victoria police have registered a formal case on the gurdwara committee’s complaint,” he said.
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