Mr Justice Silber said he had been told the Kara bangle was regarded as vital to the Sikh religion.

BBC: Sikh girl wins bangle law battle

The ceremony to confirm him as a martyr was carried out by Sikh leaders at the Akal Takht, the religion's Golden Temple headquarters.

ECONOMIST: A martyr is declared in Punjab

On the other hand, Mr Singh is a Sikh, and Sikhs occupy a special position in the subcontinent, because their religion draws on both Islam and Hinduism.

ECONOMIST: India's election

Navdeep Singh, a policy adviser to the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, says Sikhs believe in freedom of religion, community service and inclusiveness.

CNN: Wisconsin temple shooting victims: Putting others first