Umesh Kolhe
Last year, in the quiet town of Amravati, the tranquillity was shattered on the fateful night of June 21, when Islamists hacked the 54-year-old pharmacist, Umesh Kolhe, to death while he was riding his scooter home. The Islamists stabbed the left side of his neck, he was rushed to a nearby hospital, and the pharmacist succumbed to his injuries during treatment.
Notably, Umesh Kolhe was murdered for merely forwarding a WhatsApp message in support of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. In May 2022, she made alleged remarks against Muhammad during a Times Now debate in response to Taslim Ahmed Rehmani’s derogatory comments on Bhagwan Shiva.
The heinous crime sent shockwaves throughout the country, prompting the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) intervention. The NIA probed the pharmacist’s gruesome murder and submitted the chargesheet against eleven accused – Mubashir Ahmed, Shahrukh Khan, Abdul Tausheef Sheikh, Mohd Shoeb, Atib Rashid, Yusuf Khan, Irfan Khan, Abdul Arbaz, Musfeeq Ahmed, Sheikh Shakeel and Shahim Ahmed – for the pre-meditated murder on December 16, 2022.
The NIA charge-sheeted the accused u/s 120B, 341, 302, 153-A, 201, 118, 505, 506, 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and u/s 16, 17, 18, 19 & 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The NIA’s probe revealed that the chilling criminal conspiracy was orchestrated to seek vengeance against Umesh Kolhe’s WhatsApp post. The NIA said that the accused formed a terrorist gang against the pharmacist, killing him in a public area with the aim to “strike terror among the people.”
In the course of its investigation, the NIA found that Umesh Kolhe’s friend and WhatsApp group admin Yusuf Khan snitched against him, after the pharmacist shared a post supporting Nupur Sharma in the group. The NIA probe revealed that Yusuf Khan shared a screenshot in another group on June 14, where the plan to kill Umesh Kolhe began. However, Yusuf Khan claimed that the screenshot does not indicate the plan to kill Umesh Kolhe; instead, it was to call for an economic boycott.
The NIA alleged that the radicalised Islamists of the Tablighi Jamaat committed the murder of Umesh Kolhe. The NIA further submitted that the accused were influenced by the ideology of brutality “Gustakh-e-Nabi Ki Ek Hi Saza, Sar Tan Se Juda.” However, Yusuf Khan denied these allegations, stating that he is a staunch Sunni Muslim following the Barelvi school of thought, in his bail plea before a NIA court.
Nupur Sharma Controversy
In May 2022, Nupur Sharma made some alleged remarks on Muhammad during a Times Now debate, anchored by Navika Kumar, in response to Taslim Ahmed Rehmani’s comments on Bhagwan Shiva and Kashi Gyanvapi Shivling. Alt News’ co-founder Mohammad Zubair dog-whistled Islamists against Nupur Sharma, sharing her video, inciting widespread riots in India and abroad.
Following Zubair’s tweet, mobsters came to the streets to demand the beheading of Nupur Sharma. The Islamists alleged blasphemy against her and burnt her effigy. She was removed from her designation from the BJP and was forced to issue a licensed gun as death and rape threats against her and her family intensified.
On the morning of May 27, 2022, Zubair tweeted, “Prime Time debates in India have become a platform to encourage hate mongers to speak ill about other religions. Times Now’s anchor Navika Kumar is encouraging a rabid communal hatemonger & a BJP Spokesperson to speak rubbish which can incite riots. Shame on you Vineet Jain.”
On May 27, 2022, Nupur Sharma tweeted, tagging Delhi Police and the Police Commissioner, “I am getting continuous death and beheading threats against my family and myself which are egged on by Mohammed Zubair because of his attempts to incite communal passions and vitiate the atmosphere by building a fake narrative.”
Nupur Sharma also accused Zubair of inciting violence against her and said, “There is a so-called fact-checker who has started to vitiate atmosphere by putting out a heavily edited & selected video from one of my debates. Ever since, I’ve been receiving death & rape threats, including beheading threats against me & family members.”
Gustakh-e-Nabi Ki Ek Hi Saza, Sar Tan Se Juda
Zubair’s dog-whistling Islamists against Nupur Sharma led to widespread riots across the country. Gripping the nation in fear, riots broke out in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and West Bengal against Nupur Sharma’s alleged remarks. The chants of “Gustakh-e-Nabi Ki Ek Hi Saza, Sar Tan Se Juda” echoed through the streets.
A week after Umesh Kolhe’s murder, two Muslim men – Riyaz Akhtari and Ghouse Mohammad – killed a Hindu tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur, Rajasthan, on June 28. The murder gripped the nation in fear, as the two Islamists recorded a video wherein they can be seen talking to the tailor about measurements. The accused later attacked Kanhaiya Lal with a knife, stabbing him to death. The two Islamists also claimed responsibility for beheading Kanhaiya Lal later in the video.
The tailor was killed because his son shared a few posts in support of Nupur Sharma on social media. In the video, the Islamists also used abusive language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nupur Sharma, chanting “Gustakh-e-Nabi Ki Ek Hi Saza, Sar Tan Se Juda.”
On June 9, Islamists blocked the Delhi-Kolkata National Highway near Ankurhati on NH 116 over Nupur Sharma’s alleged remarks. The Islamists blocked the highway, resulting in a traffic halt of eleven hours. The mob burnt tyres and pelted stones, shouting slogans demanding Nupur Sharma’s arrest.
Later, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee further provoked the mob, asking them to go to Delhi and block the roads of the national capital demanding the Prime Minister’s resignation. “If you all are so annoyed, then go to Delhi & protest there peacefully & demand the PM’s resignation. Why are you creating a problem here? I request you all to maintain peace & withdraw protest,” Mamata Banerjee said.
On June 10, the police arrested mastermind Javed Ahmed after major incidents of stone pelting were reported from at least two Prayagraj localities, which took police five hours to restore peace. Prayagraj Senior SSP Ajay Kumar had said, “Mastermind Javed Ahmed detained, there could be more masterminds…The anti-social elements used minor kids to hurl stones at the police and administration. A case registered under 29 crucial sections. Action will be taken under Gangster Act and the NSA.”
On June 11, a massive protest erupted after Friday Namaz at Delhi’s Jama Masjid. About 1500 people were gathered at the Mosque when nearly 300 people came out to protest against Nupur Sharma. Delhi Police removed the protestors and brought the situation under control.
“Two persons have been arrested last night under section 153A of IPC. Friday namaz always has a crowd, so we were alert that something could happen. But the way people came after offering namaz with banners and placards denotes that there is some kind of planning behind it,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Central District, Shweta Chauhan.
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