A case has been registered against Sarfaraz, Salman, Shabir, Armaan, Shakir, Asif, Abdul, Amin, Barkat, Waheed, Rehman, Waheed, Sonu, Sadiq, Irshad, Parvesh, Yusuf and seven other people for attacking RSS Swayamsevak Rajesh Phoolmali and his family.
A Muslim mob killed a young RSS Swayamsevak after he questioned them over a derogatory Facebook post on Sita Mata in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh. While local administration claimed that the death occurred due to a clash between two communities over the petty issue of goat grazing, locals allege that the Swayamsevak was killed in a pre-planned mob-lynching by Muslims.
According to the locals, the clash broke out on May 18 between residents of adjoining Hapala and Dipala villages in Khandwa District where 10-11 persons from both the sides were injured and hospitalised later. Dipala is a Muslim majority area.
Among the injured were the 28-year-old RSS Swayamsevak Rajesh Phoolmali, his sister Sheela Phoolmali and his friend Pawan Solanki. While his sister was admitted to a hospital in Khandwa, the Rajesh Phoolmali was admitted to a hospital in Indore, as he suffered critical head injuries.
After battling for life for two weeks, the RSS Swayamsevak succumbed to his injuries at the hospital on May 31. His body was brought to native Khandwa for cremation on June 1.
Hundreds of people joined the funeral procession of Rajesh Phoolmali
“It was a pre-planned attack”
According to a local RSS Swayamsevak, the incident related to an objectionable Facebook post about which Rajesh Phoolmali complained to the police. The derogatory Facebook post was objected to by Rajesh and his friends at the Ramnagar police station. The names of the accused were also revealed but no action was taken against them.
While talking to Organiser, Manoj Phoolmali, elder brother of Rajesh Phoolmali, said, “Mere bhai ko musalmano ne maar dala (Muslims killed my brother). It was a pre-planned attack. The clash started on April 22, when a local Muslim man wrote on Facebook a derogatory post on Sita Mata. Some men from the Hindu community showed their anger against the post. Later, at the request of a few locals, my brother went to the Ramnagar police outpost to file a complaint on April 29. The police initially refused to file the complaint but when he forced they agreed and lodged an FIR. Police booked 4-5 Muslims involved in that case but soon the police released them.”
FIR that was lodged in the case of lynching of Rajesh Phoolmali
“As the police released the Muslim men, they threatened to kill my brother. They had been looking for my brother the day police released them. On May 18, a group of Muslim men caught my brother and beaten him up badly. They also assaulted my sister Sheela badly. Both were severely injured in the attack. After battling for his life for two weeks, my brother lost his life in the hospital,” Manoj cried over the phone.
Rajesh sister was also injured in the mob attack
According to Manoj Phoolmali, the Muslim men had also pelted stones on the villagers. “They pelted stones and bricks and even attacked other Hindus with iron rods and butcher’s knife,” said Manoj Phoolmali.
“My brother died due to the negligence of Sub-Inspector PC Shinde in charge of Ramnagar outpost. The matter was not taken seriously by him,” alleged Manoj Phoolmali. “Rajesh ki 15 mahine ki choti si bitiya hai jo thik se bol bhi nahi sakti, mai use kya bolunga jab woh puchegi ki uske papa kahan hai (Rajesh’s daughter is so small that she can barely speak, what I will say to her when she will ask me, where is her father),” cried Manoj while narrating the incident.
The reporter tried to talk to Sheela Phoolmali, sister of Rajesh Phoolmali but she was unable to speak.
“Police making a false story of goat grazing”
Pawan Kumar Solanki, another man, beaten up by the Muslims, told Organiser, “Police is making a false story to save their neck. That the death of Rajesh occurred due to a clash between two communities over the trivial issue of goat-grazing is baseless. It was a pre-planned attack”.
“It is true that the clash happened due to goat grazing but Rajesh was murdered for the complaint he had made against the Muslims for the derogatory post on Sita mata”, Pawan claimed.
A Muslim man ‘Aafaq Khan’ openly threatening a Hindu boy that he will kill him
“While saving me from the Muslims, my uncle also got injured. The mob also beat up Rajesh’s sister who was trying to save her brother” he added.
Rajesh died on May 31 in New Delhi. After the attack on May 18, he was taken to the district hospital in Sagar. On 19 May, he was shifted to Gandhi Medical College in Bhopal. As his condition deteriorated, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes in New Delhi stepped in and got him shifted to New Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital on 21 May.
Injured Pawan Kumar
Villagers demand compensation for Rajesh
The kin of Rajesh and villagers of Dipala demanded that all Muslim men involved in the killing of Rajesh be arrested and monetary compensation along with a government job to one of the family members be given to the bereaved family on compassionate grounds.
More than 20 persons have been booked in connection with the incident, and 19 of them have already been arrested. The police is making efforts to nab the remaining accused. The sub-inspector in-charge of the Ramnagar police outpost has been attached to district police lines for laxity in the matter.
Police have registered a case against Sarfaraz, Salman, Shabir, Armaan, Shakir, Asif, Abdul, Amin, Barkat, Waheed, Rehman, Waheed, Sonu, Sadiq, Irshad, Parvesh, Yusuf and seven other people for attacking Rajesh Phoolmali and his family. The shocking part is police have not booked them under the charge of murder case.
