‘He never met us after returning from Dubai, committed grave mistake’: Mother of man arrested for trying to vandalise Ambedkar statue in Amritsar

Speaking to the media in Dharamkot, Akashdeep’s mother Asha Rani, who works as a domestic help, said, “When I returned from work, some women in the village informed me that my son had been arrested for an offence. They learned this from news updates on their phones.”

“Akash left home three years ago to work as a labourer in Dubai. We sent him there to improve our family’s financial situation,” said Rani. She said Akashdeep is unmarried and studied only till Class 12.

“He had ended all relations with us and said he would not return home even if his parents died. After returning from Dubai, he started living in a rented room in Amritsar. He never met us after returning from Dubai.” She said the family did not know if he had any links with any organisation or political party.

“We strongly condemn what he has done. He has committed a grave mistake, and we accept it. But earlier, he was never like this. He has grown his hair and beard in the last two or three years,” she added.

Akashdeep’s family lives on Chugga Road in Dharamkot town. His father works as a farm labourer. His sister works in Muscat, and two younger brothers are studying.

Inspector Jatinder Singh, Station House Officer of the Dharamkot police station, said: “Even before moving to Dubai, Akashdeep mostly used to live at his maternal grandparents’ house (also in the Moga district) due to bitter relations with his parents. His parents have a hand-to-mouth existence and do labour to earn their livelihoods. The family has no criminal past and no history of association with any political party or organisation. After returning from Dubai, he did not visit his home in Dharamkot.”

After Akashdeep’s arrest, former BJP MP Vijay Sampla urged the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Sri Akal Takht Sahib to issue a clarification on the attempted vandalism.

Reacting to Sampla’s remarks, the SGPC said in a statement that linking the act to the corridor of the Golden Temple was entirely incorrect. Sikh institutions respect Ambedkar and condemn the act of vandalism against his statue, the SGPC said in the statement.