Hindu groups today expressed deep anguish at the beheading of two Sikhs in Pakistan. The condemnation came in the wake of reports that two Sikh businessmen Jaspal Singh and Mahan Singh were kidnapped from Tira Valley, in Khyber agency and Darra Adamkheil, in Orakzai agency and were beheaded by Taliban. It has been reported that the heads of the two victims have been sent to the Gurudwara.

 "This is inhuman and barbaric. The Sikhs and other religious minorities live in constant fear and intimidation in Pakistan." a Hindu human rights activist in India was quoted as saying.  The miniscule Sikh community in NWFP and Afghanistan has been under pressure from the Taliban to embrace Islam, official sources said. The Taliban, during their reign in Afghanistan, had imposed jiziya -- a religious tax -- on all minorities, mostly Hindus and Sikhs. They were made to wear a piece of yellow cloth on their breast pocket to identify themselves.  

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party, the main opposition in India on Monday strongly condemned the beheading of Sikhs by Taliban in North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan and termed the attitude of Indian government in the matter as "callous" for not putting diplomatic pressure in time to get the abducted Sikhs released.

"BJP strongly condemns this dastardly massacre of minority Sikh community in Pakistan. This shows how minorities are treated with contempt in Pakistan. They were not given any security," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

He also criticised the Indian government, alleging it was being soft towards Pakistan while dealing with such matters.

"What is truly worrisome is the callous attitude of the Government of India. These Sikhs were abducted for sometime. What kind of diplomatic pressure did India bring on Pakistan to secure their release," Prasad said.