Bhiwani Killings: Hindutva Outfits Lend Support to Accused, 'Warn' Police Against Arrests
As reports emerged that Rajasthan Police would arrest Monu Manesar and other accused in the case, a Hindu Mahapanchayat was convened in Manesar to protest against the "targeting of innocent Gau Rakshaks".
Bhiwani Killings: Hindutva Outfits Lend Support to Accused, 'Warn' Police Against Arrests
At Hindu Mahapanchayat in Manesar. Photo: The Wire.
Yaqut Ali
Yaqut Ali
COMMUNALISM
14 HOURS AGO
New Delhi: A ‘Hindu Mahapanchayat’ was called by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) in support of Monu Manesar – a cow vigilante, who calls himself a Gau Rakshak, and is accused in the killing of Rajasthan residents Junaid and Nasir recently – in the Manesar town of Haryana on Tuesday, February 21. Speakers at the event dared Rajasthan Police to arrest Manesar and others accused in the case.
Amidst reports that Rajasthan Police may proceed to Haryana to arrest the accused, those present at the Mahapanchayat warned the Rajasthan government and Police of “dire consequences” if they were to arrest the accused.
According to Devendra Singh, one of the Mahapanchayat organisers, “Rajasthan’s Congress government wants to frame Monu Manesar, who is innocent. They don’t want to arrest cow smugglers, so they want to imprison Monu and other innocents. We will not allow this to happen. We want the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) to investigate this matter, and we do not trust the Rajasthan government.”
He further added, “We will continue to call for Panchayats and rallies until the Centre intervenes because Monu and others are only gau rakshaks (cow protectors).”
“If Rajasthan police set feet in Manesar to arrest Monu, they will not return on the same feet. If Monu is arrested, we will block the highway. Giraftarian denge, jail choti pad jayegi (we will get arrested en masse and fill their jails),” said Neelam, a member of Gau Raksha Dal from Pataudi, according to Indian Express.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA Aftab Ahmed raised the issue on the floor of the Haryana Assembly and sought immediate action against Manesar and others accused in the case.
Also read: In Junaid and Nasir’s Rajasthan Village, Stunned Silence Has Given Way to Anger, Fear
“Minorities in Haryana feel distressed after what happened recently with two Muslim men in Bhiwani. This is not the first time that Muslim men have been attacked in Haryana. Currently, Haryana ranks last in citizen protection out of all the states. I feel that the state government is supporting these cow vigilantes,” Aftab Ahmed said in the Vidhan Sabha.
Hindustan Times reported that a first information report (FIR) was registered against 30-40 Rajasthan cops by Haryana Police. The FIR registered in Nuh alleged that “30-40 people wearing Rajasthan Police uniform and civil attire stormed into the home of complainant Dulari and assaulted the women in the house”.
Progress in the case
A video has surfaced of Gopalgarh Station House Officer Ram Naresh Meena sharing gruesome details of the killing and burning of Nasir and Junaid, in Haryana’s Bhiwani by a group of cow vigilantes. In the video, he revealed the role of cow vigilantes on camera.
Junaid and Nasir, two residents of Rajasthan’s Ghatmeeka village, left home on February 14 morning in a Bolero car to visit a relative. They never returned. The families alleged that members of the Bajrang Dal had killed Junaid and Nasir, and approached the police. Both of them were found burnt alive.
The burnt vehicle in which the charred bodies of Junaid and Nasir were found: By Special Arrangement
Some villagers from Ghatmeeka village told The Wire that they fear their turn will come soon, and the government would try to silence them by offering compensation. “Is money everything?” they ask.
A first information report (FIR) was filed in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur, based on a complaint filed by Junaid’s cousin Ismail.
Rajasthan SHO Ram Naresh Meena can be seen in the viral video recounting the same story that the villagers told The Wire. “Monu lives near the incident site,” he added. One of the accused, Rinku Saini, also gave a similar statement to the police. The Rajasthan Police are currently searching for other suspects in Haryana.
Killings condemned
Brinda Karat and Amra Ram of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) released a statement denouncing the savage murders of Junaid and Nasir, who were allegedly abducted, assaulted, and burned alive by members of the Bajrang Dal Gau Rakshak gang.
The CPI(M) team visited the families of the victims and demanded that the perpetrators be apprehended as well as the families be provided with compensation and employment support.
Junaid’s relatives and neighbours mourn in Ghatmeeka. Photo: The Wire
The statement noted allegations of “cow smuggling” made against Junaid and Nasir were “inaccurate” and stems from a wrong portrayal of Muslim dairy producers and livestock traders. The Rajasthani government was urged by the CPI(M) to act decisively and look into the Rajasthan police’s involvement in the issue.
Asaduddin Owaisi of the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) also visited the village of Ghatmeeka. Speaking to the media, he said, “This is not about Junaid and Nasir; we all must condemn what happened to these two innocent men.” He also sought to know why the Prime Minister is “silent” on the issue, and also demanded an answer from chief minister Ashok Gehlot as to when would his government arrest the accused.
Dr. Meraj Hussain, a member of the Congress party, resigned on Tuesday, February 21, from the party after visiting Ghatmeeka. Speaking to The Wire, he stated, “It’s been five days, and my party is silent on this matter. I didn’t see any tweets from Rahul and Priyanka. I saw how the government arrested Kanhaiya Lal’s murderer within hours in Udaipur, yet Pehlu Khan’s murderers are still roaming free in Rajasthan.” He announced that he would send his resignation to Congress president Malikarjun Kharge.
Gehlot tweeted that he met with the families of Junaid and Nasir a few days back and that Rajasthan Police is making all-out efforts to provide justice to the victims of this heinous crime, and that justice will be ensured.
In Junaid and Nasir’s Rajasthan Village, Stunned Silence Has Given Way to Anger, Fear
The two Muslim men were burnt alive on the Rajasthan-Haryana border, allegedly by self-proclaimed ‘cow protectors’.
In Junaid and Nasir’s Rajasthan Village, Stunned Silence Has Given Way to Anger, Fear
Locals gather in protest in Ghatmeeka village, Rajasthan. Photo: The Wire
Yaqut Ali and Vipul Kumar
COMMUNALISM
17/FEB/2023
Ghatmeeka (Rajasthan): When The Wire reached Ghatmeeka village in Rajasthan, on the border with Haryana, on Thursday night, we found heavy police presence and simmering tensions in the neighbourhood. But the eerie silence of the night was interrupted in the morning, when over 2,000 locals from nearby villages gathered for a protest meeting against the alleged hate crime in which two Muslim men from Ghatmeeka were killed.
Last night, The Wire first reported on the alleged murder of Nasir and Junaid in Haryana, close to the Rajasthan-Haryana border. The gory details of the crime, and the alleged impunity of the accused self-proclaimed ‘cow protectors’, have left spectators stunned.
Ghatmeeka is largely inhabited by small farmers and lorry drivers, and the village has not seen such a tense environment since the lynching of Umar Khan in 2017. Speaking to The Wire, Umar’s son, Maqsood said that since his father was hacked to death, people cannot get themselves to buy cows from adjacent villages even for the purpose of milking, “fearing what happened to my father can happen to them too”. As he spoke, his elderly grandmother sat beside him, shivering, shaking, crying and mumbling something to herself while holding a photo of her son Umar.
Maqsood believes that the present Union BJP government has created an atmosphere of impunity for goons and criminals who continue to remain emboldened “even after so many cases like Pehlu, Rakhbar, Junaid and my father Umar”.
Many angry locals questioned why the police have not included sections for murder amongst the charges cited in the FIR and why they are trying to present it as a case of only abduction. (The FIR has been filed under IPC Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 365 (abduction), 367 (kidnapping or abducting in order to subject a person to grievous hurt, slavery) and 368 (wrongful confinement)). However, some locals also praised the police action and said that they feel that the Rajasthan police will arrest the accused soon.
Locals gather in protest in Ghatmeeka village, Rajasthan. Photo: The Wire
Mursaleen, a young student from the village, is visibly shocked at the news of two men from his neighbourhood being set ablaze while alive. He told The Wire that he has been following the videos posted by Monu Manesar in which he can be seen posing with rifles and arms while boasting to have the Haryana Police’s support. “Today it is Junaid, tomorrow I think they will kill and bury me too. And I don’t think we’ll ever get justice,” he said.
“I watched him grow up before my very eyes, and I always knew him to be a hardworking and kind-hearted young man,” Junaid’s neighbour, Sahuni, told The Wire. “He was well-respected in our village, and everyone knew him for his gentle nature.”
“To see his skull now is something I never could have imagined,” she said. “It’s like losing a son. Junaid was the breadwinner for so many people…his family’s future is uncertain without him.”
Tahir Hussain, Sarpanch, Gram Panchayat Dhimri, the village adjacent to Ghatmeeka, said, “We demand to know from the state government how they are going to stop this act of terrorism which has been prevalent in the area. The people responsible for this horrific incident should be arrested, charged with relevant sections and hanged.”
A few weeks ago, a Muslim man named Waris had died in the area. While the police said it was in a road accident, Waris’s family has accused Bajrang Dal leader Monu Manesar – also allegedly involved in the killing of Junaid and Nasir – and others of committing murder. “There are a few people who want to vitiate the social fabric of the country, there are some who wish to destroy societal peace among communities,” the sarpanch said. “We demand that the administration take note of these happenings and do the needful. We are happy with the administration, as of now. The IG and SP are here with us. We only request them to take the strictest action possible, no relief should be provided so that these incidents are not repeated.”
Umar Khan’s wife, Khurshida. Photo: The Wire
The Haryana police’s role, though, is questionable, according to Hussain. “How can someone from Haryana come to Rajasthan, commit such a horrific crime, and leave? Was there no police booth, no check post to stop them? They should think about this. How can anyone go anywhere, and lynch and burn people?”
It is essential, he continued, that the administration take action against the accused – otherwise cases like this will only continue. “The atmosphere is being vitiated, people are living in fear. How will they go out? How will they do business? This is not how the country will run.”
All cattle-related industries and those making a living from them, Hussain said, have been deeply affected by rising crimes by ‘cow vigilantes’. “Samajhdar aadmi toh gay rakhna hi chhor diya hai. Bhains Rs 2 lakh ki aati hai aur gay Rs 30,000-40,000 me toh gareeb admi sochta hai ki bachcho ke liye gay ka doodh ka intezam ho jaega. (All intelligent people have stopped keeping cows at home. A bull costs Rs 2 lakh but you can buy a cow for Rs 30,000-40,000, so a poor man thinks that at least there will be milk for his children.) But even he is looked upon with suspicion.”
Shyam Singh, the Bharatpur superintendent of police, told The Wire on the telephone: “One of the accused has been detained, we are looking for the rest. The post-mortem is complete and we are conducting DNA tests too.” When asked about delays in arrests, as alleged by families of the two victims, the police refused to comment.
Wasim Akram, a social activist who works in the area, told The Wire, “Does an organisation have the right to take the law into their own hands? Police is there, the administration is there. But the way Monu and his team are committing these crimes is condemnable,” he said, alleging that this was not the first time the group was behaving in this way.
Like others in the village, Akram is troubled that people are taking the law into their own hands – and are being allowed to do so. “If you see Monu’s [social media] profile, the way he chases vehicles and opens fire at them, is this his job? What is the police doing, then? And then Monu is seen with the Nuh SP and in meetings with other officials. Is this how they want to serve cows? How can you use weapons in the name of gau raksha?”
