Indian Sikh pilgrim, who went missing during pilgrimage, marries Pakistani man

Chandigarh, Nov 15 (IANS) A middle-aged Sikh woman pilgrim, who went missing from the group of 1,923 devotees that had travelled to Pakistan this month to celebrate the 'Parkash Purab' (birth anniversary) of Guru Nanak Dev, has reportedly changed religion and married a Pakistani man in Lahore.

A nikahnama and passport copy have surfaced, claiming she is married and has changed her faith.

The pilgrim has been identified as Sarabjeet Kaur, a resident of Kapurthala district in Punjab.

Sikh groups are demanding a probe into her mysterious disappearance.

As per information, she has taken the name Noor Hussain and married Nasir Hussain of Nayi Abadi Sheikupura in Pakistan.

As per Indian records, the woman travelled to Pakistan on November 4 with a group of 1,923 pilgrims via the Attari border in Amritsar under a bilateral agreement facilitating visits to religious shrines.

The 'jatha' was led by Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj of Akal Takht Sahib. After spending 10 days visiting various gurdwaras in Pakistan, the group of 1,922 returned to India on Thursday evening.

According to immigration records, Sarabjeet Kaur had gone missing from the group. Her name was not found in the records of Pakistan's immigration while exiting, nor in India's immigration records for re-entry.

After her disappearance, intelligence agencies in India are trying to trace her whereabouts.

Sources in the Indian government told IANS that the Indian mission in Pakistan is in touch with the Pakistani authorities.

On November 4, the Sikh pilgrims went to Nankana Sahib in Pakistan to celebrate Guru Nanak Dev Ji's 'Parkash Purab'.

However, Pakistani officials reportedly denied 14 Hindus from Delhi and Lucknow from travelling with the Sikh group.

Last month, the Union government granted permission to Sikh pilgrims to undertake a 10-day journey to the Nankana Sahib shrine in Pakistan and mark the birth anniversary, almost two weeks after it refused permission for the holy trip, citing security concerns.

Every year, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) sends a delegation of Sikh devotees to Pakistan to pay obeisance at various historic gurdwaras associated with the Sikh faith, especially on the occasion of Guru Nanak Dev Ji's 'Parkash Purab'.