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

By A 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

When democracy becomes a performance: The Tibetan exile experience

By Tseten Lhundup* I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

Study links sanctions to 500,000 deaths annually leading to rise in global backlash

By Bharat Dogra International opinion is increasingly turning against the expanding burden of sanctions imposed on a growing number of countries. These measures are contributing to humanitarian crises, intensifying domestic discord, and heightening international tensions, thereby increasing the risks of conflicts and wars.

Dhurandhar: The Revenge — Blurring the line between fiction and political narrative

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* "Dhurandhar: The Revenge" does not wait to be remembered; it arrives almost on the heels of its predecessor, released on March 19, 2026, just months after the first film’s December 2025 debut. The speed of its arrival feels less like creative urgency and more like calculated timing—cinema responding not to storytelling rhythm but to the emotional climate of its audience. Director Aditya Dhar, along with actor Yami Gautam, appears acutely aware of this moment and how to harness it.

BJP accounts for 99% of political donations in Gujarat: Corporate giants dominate

By Jag Jivan An analysis of the official data on donations received by national parties from Gujarat during the Financial Year 2024-25 reveals a staggering concentration of funding, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accounting for nearly the entirety of the contributions. The data, compiled in a document titled "National Parties donations received from Gujarat during FY-2024-25," lists thousands of transactions, painting a detailed picture of the financial backing for political parties from one of India’s most industrially significant states.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

Alarming decline in India's repair culture threatens circular economy goals: Study

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Captains extraordinaire: Ranking cricket’s most influential skippers

By Harsh Thakor* Ranking the greatest cricket captains is a subjective exercise, often sparking passionate debate among fans. The following list is not merely a tally of wins and losses; it is an assessment of leadership’s deeper impact. My criteria fuse a captain’s playing record with their tactical skill, placing the highest consideration on their ability to reshape a team’s fortunes and inspire those around them. A captain who inherited a dominant empire is judged differently from one who resurrected a nation’s cricket from the doldrums. With that in mind, here is my perspective on the finest leaders the game has ever seen.

‘No merit’ in Chakraborty’s claims: Personal ethics talk sans details raises questions

By Jag Jivan A recent opinion piece published in The Quint by Subhash Chandra Garg has raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the resignation of Atanu Chakraborty from HDFC Bank , with Garg stating that the exit “raises doubts about his own ‘ethics’.” Garg, currently Chief Policy Advisor at Subhanjali and former Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India, writes that the Reserve Bank of India ( RBI ) appears to find no substance in Chakraborty’s claims, noting, “It is clear the RBI sees no merit in Atanu Chakraborty’s wild and vague assertions.”

Search This Blog