India on Monday condemned the killing of two Sikhs by Taliban in North-West province of Pakistan and said such "barbaric acts" will take "us back to the medieval times."
"Government of India condemn this barbaric act," External Affairs Minister S M Krishna told reporters in Delhi when asked about the killing of two Sikhs, who were kidnapped a month ago for ransom.
"We condemn this barbaric act of Taliban who have taken into custody three of the Indian nationals. The message that I have received which needs to be updated is that one has been done aways with and other two are kept under captivation," he said.
Though the minister described these Sikhs as "Indian nationals", the reports from Pakistan have been maintaining that they were locals living in that area.
An estimated 10,000 Sikhs lived in the NWFP and in the tribal belt, particularly Aurakzai Agency, till the Taliban imposed 'jiziya' or religious tax on them last year. Most members of the community then fled to cities across Pakistan.
"Violent methods will take us back to the medieval times," Krishna said.
According to the reports from Pakistan, some more members of the minority community are still in the custody of the Taliban.
In Delhi, members of BJP staged a protest outside the Pakistan High Commission demanding action against the murderers.
However, a report from Bara in Pakistan's tribal region says, the militants beheaded one of the three abducted Sikhs after the deadline set for payment of ransom of Rs 3 crore expired on February 20.
The beheaded body of Jaspal Singh was found by his relatives in the Jarobi area of Landikotal tehsil in Khyber Agency on Sunday morning. The sources told The News, a newspaper from Islamabad, that militants belonging to Tehrik-e-Taliban had kidnapped Jaspal Singh, Surjeet Singh and Gurender Singh in Akakhel Mathra area in Bara tehsil last month.
The TTP militants demanded Rs 3 crore ransom for the release of the kidnapped Sikhs and had set February 20 as deadline. The militants beheaded one of them, Jaspal Singh and threw his body in Landikotal.
The elders of the Sikh community who were on their way to Tirah valley to seek the helo of Lashkar-e-Islam commanders, were informed by the local people in Bazaar Zakhakhel area that the beheaded body of Jaspal Singh was found dumped in the area.
