Reports

Communal Tension in Birloka, Nagaur claims a life

Nagaur District of Rajasthan has been in news from the past few months. Previous month saw a barbarous assault on the Meghwal Dalits of Dangavas Village, that claimed six lives including one from the upper cast and now it is a Muslim who became target of communal hatred and vested interests.

Recently, on 30^th May, in Kumhari village of Khinwsar Tehsil, a rumour spread on social media that a large number of cows have been slain to feed thousands of people. Some erroneous element uploaded photographs of the carcases of cows and some huge utensils placed on fire, claiming that a feast was about to be held there using the cow flesh. Several villagers, instigated by a communal group’s leader, set out to protest and resorted to pelting stones and burning government vehicles including a JCB, two motor cycles and a tractor. According to the Police Superintendent Mr. Raghvendra Suhasa,  the mob pelted stones at the police before they fired teargas to disperse the protestors. Bharat Rawat, the SHO of Nagaur Sadar police station, sustained injuries, said Suhasa.

Deceased Abdul Gafoor

Same day, in a nearby village Birloka, about 60 km from Kumhari, VHP and other right wing organisations announced a protest and a bandh. The protesters took out a rally along the village streets and reached to the end of the village, where Abdul Gafoor 65, of Amarpura village of Didwana Tehsil (about 190km from Birloka), ran a meat shop. The demonstrators shouted “send the Muslims to Pakistan...burn them…vacate the village of them…” pulled Abdul Ghafoor out of his ‘cabin shop’ and began beating him brutally with sticks, rods, fists and kicks. The old fellow tumbled to the ground when his neighbours Raju Nayak and his wife Jassu came to his rescue. The perpetrators demolished his stone made hut in which he had been residing for past 35 years and broke his tin-sheet cabin shop.

After the offenders left, Raju Nayak and other villagers took him to the Khinwsar Govt. hospital. Meanwhile, His younger brother Abdul Sattar, on receiving the information, arrived with other family members who took him to Nagaur Police station where the officers refused to register an FIR saying that the incident belonged to Khienwsar police station. Then they rushed Him to Didwana Govt. hospital, where the doctors denied him any medical help without registering an FIR. The wounded Abdul Ghafoor was being dangled hither and thither, so was taken to Didwana police station where again the police refused to register the case as the crime spot falls under the Khinwsar police station. Sheer negligence on part of the police and doctors claimed the life of an innocent person. The FIR could be registered anywhere, at any police station irrespective of jurisdiction and the doctors must treat the patient without waiting for registration of the case. But alas! none fulfilled his duty and a hapless Abdul Ghafoor succumbed to his injuries on 31^st May, at 2 pm.

Mentally Challenged Son of Abdul Ghafoor

A delegation led by FDCA (Forum For Democracy and Communal Amity) State President Mr. Sawai Singh, visited the violence hit village Birloka as well as the deceased’s home at Amarpura, Didwana. Other than Mr. Sawai Singh, the delegation comprised of Er. Rashid Husain, state chief Welfare Party of India with secretary M. Nazimuddeen, Retd. judge Mr. Tek Chand Rahul, state president, Ambedkarite Party of India and Dr. M. Iqbal Siddiqui, State Media Secretary, Jamaat-E-Islami Hind.

Village Birloka is situated about 70 km from the district headquarter Nagaur. The total population of the village is about 520 houses, out of which only 22 are Muslims. The village is dominated by the Jat community, while Brahmins, Goyals and Nayaks are also parts of the population. There is no police post in the village and the Khienwsar police station is about 30km away from here.

Wife of Raju Nayak narrating the incident

As the vicious attack on the dalit Ratna Ram Meghwal and his family in Dangavas on May 14^th had been reported locally as well as nationally, the Jats were keen to divert the attention of the media and masses. Hence it is said that they utilised the rumour about mass cow slaughter which ended up into the murder of innocent Abdul Ghafoor.

The villagers informed the delegation that the deceased Abdul Ghafoor, popularly known as “Ghafoor Chacha”, lived in the village for past 35 years where he sold meat for his livelihood. People belonging to all communities were among his regular customers. The Muslims, being less in number, are afraid enough to reveal all the truth about the incident.

Abdul Ghafoor's Wrecked house and cabin shop

The delegation came to know that, a Satya Narayan Pareek, who is said to be much powerful in resources and ‘approach’, was behind the brutal assault on Abdul Ghafoor. Pareek’s house is situated almost in front of the Ghafoor Chacha’s meat shop. The delegation was informed that some years ago there had been a tussle between some of the Jats and Abdul Ghafoor over his selling meat in a Hindu dominated village and at that time, he was told to leave the village, but he ignored. It is said that it was Satya Narayan Pareek who had sent those Jats to force Abdul Ghafoor to leave the village.

The SI Ghanshyam Meena of Khienwsar police station, along with three policemen and and a patwari have been suspended till now. Eight people, including five prime suspects have been rounded up and sent into judicial custody. Family of the deceased have been compensated with Rs. 8 lakhs plus rupees five thousand for repairing of the house from the District administration and the state govt.

On the contrary, the communal forces (VHP, Shiv Sena, Bajrang Dal) are all set to save their men. The outfits are staging a ‘dharna’ in front of the Nagaur Collectorate, demanding release of the accused arrested for murder, rioting, unlawful assembly, loot, conspiracy and public instigation charges. They are demanding to “release the ‘innocent’ people arrested under false charges.”

Question of safety of the Muslims and Dalits is still unreciprocated. After 68 years of independence, the weaker sections of the society are still insecure in their own country and their own houses. In this case, although the police acted promptly, let it be after pressure from the PWD & Transport minister Yunus Khan, the main culprits are under custody, will the victim get justice? It seems difficult, as the only eye-witness Raju Nayak and his wife are being threatened and asked to not to speak truth. Raju is himself a poor man who is apparently unable to confront the powerful Brahmins and Jats. Let us pray and hope, that ‘justice prevails’.