One of six gurdwara attack suspects released in Vienna

H S Rao

Vienna/London, Jun 6 (PTI) One of the six suspects,
detained in connection with the attack on two visiting Indian
Sikh preachers in Vienna last month, has been released due to
lack of evidence.

"The man has been released because there has not been
enough evidence against him to justify keeping him behind
bars," said his lawyer, Philipp Winkler.

Three other suspects, including the alleged mastermind
of the attack in which Dera Sachh Khand leader Guru Ramandand
Dass was killed Sant Niranjan Dass was severely injured, will
remain in custody for the time being, while a decision on two
other suspects would be taken next week, police said.

The ringleader of the attack, who sustained a gunshot
wound in his head, is in police custody in an artificially
induced coma in a Vienna hospital.

The body of Sant Ramanand was flown back in a special
chartered flight sent by the government of India and was
cremated early this week.

Investigators probing the incident at Ravi Dass Gurdwara
near the Westbahnhof railway station on May 24, have secured
over 300 pieces of forensic evidence, which means it could
take months before the first results of the investigation are
disclosed, police said.

The incident had sparked off violent clashes in India's
northern states Punjab and Haryana between followers of
different sects.

A violent clash between two groups of the community at a
gurdwara in Vienna's 15th district had led to the death of
57-year old Sant Ramanand, and injuries to 15 others.

Four of the six offenders were NRI asylum seekers living
in Austria and have been identified Satwinder Singh, 28,
Jaspal Singh, 34, Tasum Singh, 45 and Sukhwinder Singh, 28.

The other two attackers - Hardeep Singh, 33 and Charnjit
Singh, 24, entered Austria illegally, authorities said.

The men have been accused of attacking a gathering at
the gurdwara with knives and at least one gun. PTI HSR
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