US Sikh body condemns 'forcible' chopping off prisoner's hair

New York, Aug 28 (PTI) A Sikh body here has strongly
condemned the alleged forcible cutting of hair of a Sikh
prisoner in Florida State and has launched a signature
campaign to pressurise the authorities to respect the
community's religious sensibilities.

United Sikhs, a US-based advocacy group, has termed
the incident, in which the hair of prisoner Jagmohan Singh
Ahuja was allegedly chopped off by authorities in Duval County
jail last month, as "gross violation" of Sikh religion rights.

The group, in a statement, Wednesday claimed that
Ahuja had asked a public defender to file a motion with the
Duval County Circuit Court to stop officials from proceeding.

In the motion, Ahuja asked the public defender to
present evidence of the significance of Kesh (unshorn hair)
for Sikhs. The motion was denied by Judge Russell Healey, the
outfit said.

Jagmohan again protested the cutting of his hair on
the day of the incident when the officers at the jail informed
him his hair would be cut, "by force if necessary." After
officers contacted the Circuit Court Clerk for guidance on the
matter, Jagmohan's hair was cut, it added.

United Sikhs said it took up the case after the jail
officials informed him that his hair would be cut for a
second time.