Skip to main content

Umar's murder in Rajasthan: Protect Meos of Alwar and Bharatpur targeted by cow vigilantes, CM urged

By Our Representative
A joint memorandum by several civil rights organizations addressed to Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje has sought immediate arrest of the cops and so-called Gau Rakshaks -- cow vigilantes -- allegedly involved in the "brutal murder" of Umar Mohammed of Kaman Pahadi Bharatpur, even as withdrawal of the case of cow smuggling against Umar and his fellow travellers Tahir and others.
Asking Raje to come up with a complete plan to stop the attack on Muslims in Rajasthan by cow vigilantes and others, even as initiating a safety measures espcially "for Meos in Alwar and Bharatpur district as they are all dairy farmers", the 20 odd organizations reminded her that the "ghastly murder" took place on November 10, when she was in Alwar campaigning for bye elections.
The comes amidst Meos' refusal to take the body till FIR was lodged against the culprits who are claimed to have been identified, specifically mentioning that Umar was killed due to bullet fire and on getting crushed by train. Meos sat in protest in favour of their demands.
The letter said, "Umar was a resident of Ghatmatika Pahadi, near Pahadi Kaman, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, and a dairy farmer", and when he was "returning from Ramgarh with a few cows" his "pickup vehicle was stopped by means of a patta, the tyre punctured and then attacked."
"Facts show that the police of Ramgarh was equally involved with the Gau Rakshaks in killing Umar", the letter said, adding, "What is shocking is that the police and the Gau goondas tried to destroy evidence by throwing his body on the railway track."
Pointing out that the "present state of his body shows the brutality that the police and the so-called Gau rakshaks can indulge in", the letter said, "Even the running over of a train/trains could not hide the exit wounds of the bullet. Tahir who is very serious and being treated in a hospital is an eye witness to the whole thing."
Signed, among others, by Kavita Srivastava of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Rajasthan; Nikhil Dey of the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanfathan (MKSS); Sumitra Chopra of the All-India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA); Nisha Sidhu of the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW); Mohammed Iqbal of the Jamait Islami Hind, Rajasthan; and Mukesh Goswami of the RTI Manch, the letter accused the state government of "complete failure" on the law and order front.
Umar's is the fifth murder in Rajasthan by cow vigilantes and others after the BJP took over in the state. The first murder took place on May 30 2015, of Abdul Gaffar Querishi, Birloka, Didwana tehsil, Nagaur district. On April 1 this year, Pehlu Khan was lynched to death in Behror thana, Alwar district. On June 16, Zafar Khan of Pratapgarh town was killed. And on Pratapgarh district September Bhagtaram Meena was killed in Neem Ka Thaana, Sikar district.
In the context of Umar's murder, the letter demanded immediate transfer of investigation to an independent agency, like an SIT or under the IG, adding, compensation, including cash of 25 lakhs, government job to his kin and land to the family, should be announced, and Tahir be given protection and a compensation of Rs 10 lakh.
It also demanded suspension of superintendent of police, Alwar, for "failing to prevent" the incident also locating the body for two days, for 2 days not locating the body.

Comments

TRENDING

Reducing emission? India among top nations whose coal as energy source going up

By NS Venkataraman*  The State of the Global Climate report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that the year 2023 was the warmest year on record, with the global temperature of 1.4 degree celsius above pre-industrial 1850-1900 base line.

Lockdown 'total failure' of science more than of politics: Open letter on 4th anniversary

Counterview Desk  In an open letter to fellow academicians, scientists and medical practitioners in India, marking the fourth anniversary of India's lockdown (25 March 2024), the Managing Committee* of the Universal Health Organisation (UHO) has insisted on the need to "repair two years of immense damage to science".

Insider plot to kill Deendayal Upadhyay? What RSS pracharak Balraj Madhok said

By Shamsul Islam*  Balraj Madhok's died on May 2, 2016 ending an era of old guards of Hindutva politics. A senior RSS pracharak till his death was paid handsome tributes by the RSS leaders including PM Modi, himself a senior pracharak, for being a "stalwart leader of Jan Sangh. Balraj Madhok ji's ideological commitment was strong and clarity of thought immense. He was selflessly devoted to the nation and society. I had the good fortune of interacting with Balraj Madhok ji on many occasions". The RSS also issued a formal condolence message signed by the Supremo Mohan Bhagwat on behalf of all swayamsevaks, referring to his contribution of commitment to nation and society. He was a leading RSS pracharak on whom his organization relied for initiating prominent Hindutva projects. But today nobody in the RSS-BJP top hierarchy remembers/talks about Madhok as he was an insider chronicler of the immense degeneration which was spreading as an epidemic in the high echelons of th

Magnetic, stunning, Protima Bedi 'exposed' malice of sexual repression in society

By Harsh Thakor*  Protima Bedi was born to a baniya businessman and a Bengali mother as Protima Gupta in Delhi in 1949. Her father was a small-time trader, who was thrown out of his family for marrying a dark Bengali women. The theme of her early life was to rebel against traditional bondage. It was extraordinary how Protima underwent a metamorphosis from a conventional convent-educated girl into a freak. On October 12th was her 75th birthday; earlier this year, on August 18th it was her 25th death anniversary.

Savarkar 'criminally betrayed' Netaji and his INA by siding with the British rulers

By Shamsul Islam* RSS-BJP rulers of India have been trying to show off as great fans of Netaji. But Indians must know what role ideological parents of today's RSS/BJP played against Netaji and Indian National Army (INA). The Hindu Mahasabha and RSS which always had prominent lawyers on their rolls made no attempt to defend the INA accused at Red Fort trials.

'Wrong direction': Paris NGO regrets MNC ArcelorMittal still using coal-based steel

By Rajiv Shah  A new report by Paris-based non-governmental research and campaigning organization, Reclaim Finance, has blamed the MNC ArcelorMittal – formed in 2006 following the takeover and merger of the western European steel maker Arcelor (Spain, France, and Luxembourg) by Indian-owned Mittal Steel – for using use “climate destructive” metallurgical coal for its projects in India.

'Flawed' argument: Gandhi had minimal role, naval mutinies alone led to Independence

Counterview Desk Reacting to a Counterview  story , "Rewiring history? Bose, not Gandhi, was real Father of Nation: British PM Attlee 'cited'" (January 26, 2016), an avid reader has forwarded  reaction  in the form of a  link , which carries the article "Did Atlee say Gandhi had minimal role in Independence? #FactCheck", published in the site satyagrahis.in. The satyagraha.in article seeks to debunk the view, reported in the Counterview story, taken by retired army officer GD Bakshi in his book, “Bose: An Indian Samurai”, which claims that Gandhiji had a minimal role to play in India's freedom struggle, and that it was Netaji who played the crucial role. We reproduce the satyagraha.in article here. Text: Nowadays it is said by many MK Gandhi critics that Clement Atlee made a statement in which he said Gandhi has ‘minimal’ role in India's independence and gave credit to naval mutinies and with this statement, they concluded the whole freedom struggle.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Attack on foreign students: Gujarat varsity's reputation, ranking at stake, say academics

Counterview Desk  Expressing anguish over the attack on international students in Gujarat University hostels, a letter claimed to have been signed by 122 current and former academics has asked the Gujarat Vice Chancellor, Dr Neerja Gupta, to provide emotional support to the attacked students and to ensure their physical safety.  

As double engine takes backseat in Odisha, BJP is pitted against 'firmly rooted' BJD

By Sudhansu R Das  BJP has got 25 years to build its party base in Odisha. After 25 years, it felt helpless and insecure to fight elections on its own strength. The party was almost crazy to have an alliance with the ruling BJD in Odisha.  Looking for alliance at the time of election shows that the party has not groomed its grassroots level workers into potential leaders.  The state BJP leaders woke up and convinced the Central leaders that they are capable of going solo; the alliance was stillborn. The question is can BJP defeat BJD which is firmly rooted in Odisha after launching piles of populist programs in the state.