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Heroic actions of two Sikh men saves group from drowning

Sikh Men Save Lives After They Ignored Religious Protocol And Threw Their Turbans Into River

The Dastaar, the turban worn by Sikhs, is something that’s mandatory by their faith and represents piety, dedication, self-respect and courage – But two Sikh men in Punjab have themselves become symbols of courage after removing their Dastaars so they could save a group of young men from drowning in a canal.

Footage of the dramatic rescue, shot on a bystander’s cell phone, has been circulating online and was picked up by New Delhi Television.

The broadcaster said young men had gathered for the immersion of Ganesha idols at Sullar Gharat village when strong currents washed a group of men away.

That’s when two men on opposite sides of the canal sprang to action.

“They had fallen very near the canal bridge and shouted for help,” Inderpal Singh, 34, told the Times of India. “I immediately spotted a wire lying near the bridge and rescued two of them with the help of the wire. However, three others were still caught in a current.”

He told Times of India three men then jumped in to help the three still trapped in the water but they too were caught in the whirlpool.

That’s when Inderpal reportedly removed his nine-meter turban and cast the lifeline into the water, pulling the first three to safety.

Kalmpreet Singh, 25, then did the same in order to pull others to safety, according to The Better India.

The heroic actions are reminiscent of another Sikh man in New Zealand who made headlines around the world in May when he too broke religious protocol, when he rushed to the side of a young boy who’d been struck by a car, removing his turban to cradle the boys head.

Despite only being meant to be removed in the privacy of the home, there’s no question the quick thinking each of these men displayed during moments of crisis are the epitome of the values their turbans represent.

“There is a great deal of responsibility accompanied by the turban,” reads a description on The Sikh Coalition’s website, a New York based organization born from wanton reprisals against Sikhs after the attacks on the Twin Towers.

“A person’s actions are no longer just tied to him or her. Since Siks who wear the turban represent the Guru, their actions too reflect on the Guru and the Sikh Nation. In this sense, the turban serves to increase a Sikh’s commitment to Sikhism and lends to his or her becoming a more disciplined and virtuous person,” reads the site.

Virtuous, indeed.