'RACE ATTACK' BOY HACKED OFF OWN HAIR; Plea for compassion over troubled Sikh teenager.Byline: By Ian Dow SIKH community leaders called yesterday for "compassion" for a teenage boy who falsely claimed he was the victim of a racist attack. Hundreds of people attended a vigil vigil (vĭj`əl) [Lat.,=watch], in Christian calendars, eve of a feast, a day of penitential preparation. In ancient times worshipers gathered for vespers before a great feast and then waited outside the church until dawn for the liturgy (Mass). after the boy claimed four white thugs had cut off his hair - a deeply offensive act for the Sikh faith. The alleged attack caused widespread outrage across Scotland when it was reported last month, However, it has now emerged the 15-year-old boy made up the story after cutting his own hair. Yesterday, the Sikh commuity in Edinburgh appealed for understanding for the teenager. In a statement thanking police and supporters for their actions, the Edinburgh Sikh Gurdwara gurdwara Sikh place of worship. Each gurdwara houses a copy of the Adi Granth and serves as a meeting place for worship, including recitation, singing, and explication of scripture. A community kitchen and often a school are attached to the building. Committe said the boy, who has not been named, was clearly anguished. Their members said: "It is obvious the boy has been suffering deep anguish and a crisis of faith which has resulted in him harming himself. "We take a compassionate view and at the same time acknowledge the challenges our youth, and not just Sikh youth, are facing in society at large. "We take this opportunity to ensure our young people feel able to discuss difficult matters on life and faith in a supportive environment." The youngster claimed four thugs hacked off (jargon) hacked off - (Analogous to "pissed off") Said of system administrators who have become annoyed, upset, or touchy owing to suspicions that their sites have been or are going to be victimised by crackers, or used for inappropriate, technically illegal, or even overtly his hair in a deliberately insulting racist attack. His tale drew huge coverage and prompted a vigil for peace and understanding by 200 Sikhs. The top UK Sikh religious institution, the Siromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, the SGPC SGPC Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (Amritsar, Punjab, India) , raised the matter with the prime minister of India The Prime Minister of India is, in practice, the most powerful person in the Government of India. The Prime Minister is technically outranked by the head of state, the President of India. . It is part of the Sikh faith that men do not cut their hair or shave. But it emerged over the weekend that the boy had concocted the story about an attack in Pilrig Park in November. Police said no further action would be taken against the Sikh teenager. He had cut his own hair and, to back up his story, he had even punched himself in the face. A police source said the teenager was having personal problems and difficulties in coming to terms with the differing demands of his faith and western society. CAPTION(S): MARCH OF ANGER: But Sikhs were duped by the boy's false tale |
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