Love Jihad and role of Islamic radicals apparent in the murder of Tamil Nadu BJP worker Vijaya Raghu

One more CAA supporter belonging to Dalit community was hacked to death in Trichy in Tamil Nadu allegedly by Muslim goons. But the opposition which has been vociferous in the revocation of the CAA, has turned nelson eye to the killing. The hand tied state police machinery is learned to have passed it off as yet another case of personal enmity.

F Vijaya Raghu (40), a zonal secretary of BJP Trichy Palakarai, was working in the market area when a group of the assailants surrounded him and killed him before fleeing the scene. Raghu, a resident of Pensioners Lane in Varaganeri area, worked in a cycle stand, issuing tokens. Police said he was attacked at around 5.30 AM on 27th by two people with sharp weapons causing grievous injuries. Raghu was rushed to Mahatma Gandhi Government Hospital but succumbed to injuries a couple of hours later.

On hearing the murder, BJP cadres protested in front of the hospital demanding the arrest of the accused involved in the killing. They said Raghu was actively canvassing for the Citizenship Amendment Act and was a known target for the Islamists. Meanwhile, police have set up special teams to arrest the culprits who are still at large. A team has left for Tiruvarur and another to Perambalur in search of the murderers.

Case of Love Jihad suspected

Gandhi Market police are on the lookout for Mohammed Babu alias ‘Mittai’ Babu and his associate in connection with the murder. Police investigated the CCTV footage to establish the identity of the culprits. Mohammed s/o Hussain Mohammed works as a daily wage labourer in Gandhi market and also as a lottery agent. Police claimed that Vijay Raghu’s daughter and Mohammed were in love. It has also come to notice that there were already several cases pending against Mohammed.

Raghu was living with his wife and daughter Gayathri (17) and was a active member of BJP for 20 years. Sources in BJP say that complaints were registered by Raghu against Mohammed in 2017 and 2019 for trying to appropriate his minor daughter and a case of Love Jihad was suspected for long. It was due to his complaints, Vijaya Raghu was threatened by Mohammed and two unsuccessful attempts on his life were made twice in 2017 and 2019 say BJP sources. Mohammed, it is learnt, was earlier charged in a case for assaulting Vijay Raghu’s brother-in-law and had come out from the prison only a few days ago.

The police FIR has cleverly avoided mentioning the culprits real name and uses his alias. Mohammed was also arrested for raping a minor girl earlier but strangely no case was made under POSCO and was subsequently released. It seems that the state police are even afraid to arrest people from this particular community. The killer Mohammed was also a ganja addict and indulged petty crimes.

Raghu was also threatened by SDPI cadre for his active role in BJP. BJP sources say that Vijaya Raghu could have been murdered by the Islamist organisation with the help of Mohammed. They say that on 26th December, 2019 some Musilim organisations had protested against CAA along with members of SDPI. On hearing this, Vijaya Raghu had organised a rally and house-to-house campaign in favour of CAA.

Agitated by his pro-CAA campaign, the Islamists could have used Mohammed to attack and murder Vijaya Raghu say BJP sources. BJP state vice president Subramaniam said that Raghu was killed for actively participating in support of the CAA. He said Raghu was a Dalit and was killed by Muslims. Had it been otherwise of in a BJP ruled state, the tukde-tukde gangs would have made a big noise. “Will they come out condemning the gruesome killing of Raghu, a Dalit?”, asks Subramaniam.

Tamil Nadu, which has been reckoned as a tranquil state free from terror, has in the past ten days been slowly turning into a terror-infested state if one goes by the recent incidents. Ka Kuttralanathan, State secretary of Hindu Munnani says that the list of recent incidents in the state paint a grim picture of the grip of Jihadi elements in the state. He listed the recent incidents which are as follows:

– Sub Inspector Wilson was shot dead by Islamic terrorists after stabbing.

– AIADMK MP Ravidranath (son of Deputy Chief Minister) who voted for the CAA in Parliament was waylaid and attacked by Muslims.

– Petrol bombs were hurled at journalist S Gurumurthy’s residence.

– In Suddamalli (Tirunelveli district) two women census enumerators were threatened with dire consequences and forced to leave the place by Muslims.

– In Chennai Ritchi street (a electronic goods hub) where one shopkeeper tried to sell pen with slogans in support of CAA were gheroaed by Muslims.

– A Muslim mob thronged the police station where some people were held in this connection and held protest to release them without filing any case.

– In Mettupalayam (Coimbatore district) and Vaali Nokkam in Ramanathapuram district, Sangh parivar cadre, who distributed hand bills in support of CAA, were attacked by Muslims. – And finally on January 27th, BJP cadre Vijay Raghu who was actively supporting the CAA, was hacked to death.

“Those who were arrested in connection SI Wilson’s murder has said their design was to kill Hindutva leaders in TN, Karnataka, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. Both the ruling AIADMK and DMK hand in glove in protecting the perpetrators. What is happening in the peace loving state?“, questioned Kuttralanathan.

Muslims who were gathered in front of a mosque attacked the car Lok Sabha MP Ravidranath and some BJP cadres who accompanied him to take part in the MGR birth anniversary function on 27th in Cumbum district. Theni district is still gripped with tension. Police held 40 persons in connection with the attack on AIADMK MP car. Some days back, in Tirupur, Hindu Munnani functionary’s car was attacked by Muslims.

Muslim leaders and Jamaaths have been urging the Muslims to teach a lesson to BJP by boycotting all Centre sponsored programmes. They are advised to take back their money deposited with the nationalised banks and are also advocating no trade with non-Muslims. Some Mullahs have even made open threats to kill Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. The state police has remained a mute spectator but shows undue keenness in arresting BJP or Sangh Parivar leaders if complaints are made against them. Cumbum based Hindus on their part said they would not buy anything from the Muslim traders and would force them to vacate shops owned by Hindus.

In Tamil Nadu, media is powerful but it is in the hands of DMK led opposition which has been consistently feeding twisted and fallacious details to the audience. It seems there is a tacit understanding between AIADMK and DMK to check the growth of BJP in the state. A fettered police is also unable to perform its duties in earnest. It is interesting to note that two of the SI Wilson attackers were earlier held for wearing ISIS supporting T-shirts but were let off for reasons best known to powers that be. Besides, TN has become a hot bed for all anti-nationals, Naxals, Secessionist groups and religious fundamentalists. It is high time the Central Government takes immediate action before it goes out of hand or turns out to become another Kashmir or Kerala.