In a bloody clash in Punjab, a 35-year-old man was hacked to death by two Nihangs (Sikhs armed with traditional weapons) with sharp-edged weapons in the vicinity of the highly revered Golden Temple here over allegedly chewing tobacco outside a hotel, police said on Thursday.

The grievously injured victim, Harmanjit Singh, was left on the street on Wednesday night to bleed to death. The police came to know about the crime in the next morning.

A CCTV camera outside a hotel captured the gruesome murder. However, there is no ban on drinking or smoking in the city.

Police Commissioner Arun Pal Singh told the media that the Nihangs took offence to his chewing tobacco and being drunk while roaming in a street.

After a heated argument, they allegedly attacked him and a third person also joined them in the crime. They injured him severely leading to his death.

The Commissioner said the accused have been identified and one of them has been arrested, and raids are being carried out to apprehend the remaining suspects.

“It is unfortunate that passers-by remained mute spectators and nobody intervened. The youngster kept lying on the street the entire night, but nobody helped him or called the cops,” added the Commissioner.

The victim’s family said he had left home after he received a phone call in the evening.

(The story has been published via a syndicated feed.)