United Sikhs, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan and attorney Mike Gibbs persuaded a City of Detroit prosecutor to drop charges last month against Sukhpreet Singh, a 23-year-old Wayne State University student, for wearing a kirpan, ––– a ceremonial dagger which he is required by his religion to carry with him all the time, ––– on the university campus, Manwinder Singh, director, international civil and human rights advocacy, United Sikhs, said in a press release.

Sukhpreet Singh was arrested on Aug. 24, after two police officers asked him to either remove his kirpan or face arrest. Singh explained to the officers that carrying a kirpan on his person was a mandatory article of his Sikh faith and that he could not remove it. Thereafter the Detroit City Police arrested Singh. He was later released on bond, without his kirpan.

Harpreet Singh, legal director of United Sikhs, was quoted in the press release as saying that his organization will continue to work in stages with the Wayne State University, the City of Detroit, the Wayne County and the State of Michigan to establish a best practice for dealing with Sikhs wearing a kirpan.

(Compiled from a press release by Jyotirmoy Datta)