Auckland: As per the media reports emanating from the island country of New Zealand a Sikh man was asked to take off one of his kakkar (article of faith) Kirpan (Dagger) and ‘deboard’ the bus after an ignorant passenger called police in panic after seeing the kakkar (Kirpan).
The police reportedly boarded a busy commuter bus in Auckland on Tuesday after a passenger was seen carrying a Kirpan (Dagger), worn by the Sikhs.
Representational Image.
“We looked out the window and we could see and the police car behind us with sirens blaring and armed men all around us. One policeman stormed into the bus with a gun in his hand and said to the guy, ‘Get your hands up so we can see them and get out of the bus’,” reads the statement of an eyewitness published in New Zealand Herald.
Media sources further reported that the Sikh passenger in his 20s, was wearing a dastaar and had a long, curved “sword-like” kirpan strapped behind his back on the left side, which the police removed, said the witness.
A police spokeswoman said officers were called after a member of the public reported seeing a kirpan.
She further added that the armed offenders’ squad was not sent and the officers were not armed.
“Police spoke with the man, who is a Sikh.” “He was in possession of a kirpan, which is mandatory for Sikhs. The man, who is lawfully living in New Zealand, was polite and cooperative and no further action was taken,” notes The Tribune (TT).
”The Kirpan was not confiscated by the police” adds the police spokeswomen.
The country is home to around 72,000 Sikhs a population that is expected to rise in this year’s census.