The case of an Islamist mob brutally thrashing four Hindu men has made headlines in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. The mob allegedly thrashed the victims for honking in the region belonging to their community, despite protest. All the victims were admitted to a private hospital for treatment.
As soon as the videos and pictures of the clash were shared on the internet the Hindu community presented a complaint to the police. The former Dy Sarpanch of Jorve village Gokul Dighe along with Ravindra Gadekar, Babasaheb Thorat, Jitendra Shinde, Ajay Thorat, and Ganesh Kakad submitted a complaint at the Sangamner Police Station of the Jorve Naka area.
The victim men have been identified as Gokul Dighe, Ravindra Gadekar, Babasaheb Thorat, Jitendra Shinde, Ajay Thorat, and Ganesh Kakad. Whereas the accused mob were as many as 100-150 in number, they were well equipped with sharp weapons and rods.
In their complaint letter, the Hindu community stated that ‘On May 28, upon learning about the attack on their friend they, went to the village to register a police complaint,’
However, ‘They were beaten up by Babu Tapri Wala, Imran Wadewala, Nadeem Hussain Sheikh, Imran (son of Yusuf Painter), Riyaz Zaheer Sheikh Rickshawala, Raheef and Safiq Chahawala and 20 to 25 others from Jorve Naka’.
However, ‘As our vehicles slowed down at the turn, a crowd of approximately 100 to 150 people with swords, choppers, fighters, wooden staves and iron rods in their hands, rushed towards us and shouted “Ye wahi log hai jo apne khilaf me takrar gey karna tha police station. Aaj Inko zinda ghar nahin jaane denge” (These are the same people who went to police station to file a complaint against us. They attacked us with intent to kill us).
Irfan and Imran Wadewala and three of his employees, Babu Tapriwala Aqeel Tapriwala, Nadeem Hussain, Tahir Nazir Pathan, Shahid Waluwala, Musif Sheikh Mujju, Fayyum Fiter, Raheef Chahwala and Safiq Chahwala, Ffu Khan Wadewala and others from that mob beat us up. They were equipped with iron rods and weapons.
The matter erupted after 4 individuals from Jorve village travelled to Sangamner for some work in a pickup van. During their return to the village in the evening, they got stuck in heavy traffic. The men in the car started honking.
Some of the people in the area belonging to the specific community objected to the usual honking and thrashed the boys in the traffic. The boys then reached the village and narrated the matter to the other people of the village. They said that they were beaten by people from other communities with swords and other sharp objects.
As per the FIR, 8 Hindu persons, identified as Sumeet Thorat, Tanmay Dighe, Pundalik Dighe (17), Vijay Thorat, Ajay Thorat, Jitendra Dighe, Ravindra Gadekar, and Babasaheb Thorat have received severe injuries and have been admitted to a private hospital.
All the accused named in the FIR have been booked under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting), and 149 (unlawful assembly for the prosecution of common object) with relevant sections of the Arms Act.
Sub-inspector Nivant Jadhav as quoted by the media said, “No one will be spared. Action will be taken against the accused,” he said. Reportedly, at present the police force has been deployed at the Jorve village and people have been asked to stay away from the rumours.
Attacks on other religious communities by Muslims have intensified in districts of Maharashtra. On May 30, a similar case was reported where two Sikh boys were attacked by a Muslim man, for alleged theft.
As per a video shared on Twitter and the copy of the FIR, in the Parbhani area, Two minor Sikhs (one 15 and the other 14) were brutally beaten by Akram Patel and 5 others. Accused assumed the victims to be thieves. They hit an iron rod on their heads. One (Kirpalsingh) died on the spot. Other is serious at govt hospital.
The accused man has been booked under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 341 (wrongful restraint), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 148 (punishment for rioting) and 149 (unlawful assembly for the prosecution of common object) of the IPC. Even though the victims were minors, no sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offense (POCSO) has been imposed.
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