BJP man held; Muslim women say ready to take on vigilantes
The Ramgarh police on Saturday arrested a local BJP leader Nityanand Mahto while prime accused Chottu Rana surrendered before the court in connection with the alleged lynching of 55-year old Muslim trader Alimuddin alias Asgar Ali.
Mahto is the BJP’s Ramgarh district media-in-charge.
As many as four people including three out of 13 accused named in the FIR have been arrested so far.On Friday, police also set up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the alleged murder of a Muslim trader Alimuddin also known as Asgar Ali and announced ₹2 lakh compensation for his family.
The administration also doled out ₹20,000 for the burial of Alimuddin, who was lynched on Thursday by a frenzied mob for allegedly carrying beef in his car at Bazartand market of the district.
The incident has shocked the local population with women of the community saying they would pick up arms against selfstyled cow protectors.
The women say they are disillusioned with the police and believe the government is in cahoots with cow vigilantes. “Mob justice would be meted with mob-justice,” said Mariam Khatun, the wife of Alimuddin, as scores of people flooded her modest home to console her.
Around her, 70-odd women, many of them associated with local organisations, nodded in agreement.
The village has erupted in anger and grief as many say Muslim men are becoming soft targets in the name of beef trade.
“If government can’t act, we will pick up arms against them to save our men,” Mariam said.
“Why do people of a particular community have so much interest in our eating habit, when we do not peep into their kitchen?” asked Abida Khatun, another resident of the village.
“One has been sent to jail. We have sought arrest warrants against seven others,” said Ramgarh deputy development commissioner (DDC) Sunil Kumar.
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Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants, including commander Bashir Lashkari, were shot dead in an encounter with security forces at Brenti-Batpora village in Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Saturday. A couple of civilians – including a middle-aged woman – were also killed in clashes with security personnel at the site.
Lashkari was allegedly involved in the killing of six security personnel last month. The second militant was identified as Azad Ahmad Mallik.
Seventeen people were rescued from the house in which the militants were holed up. Police said they were being used as human shields by Lashkari and Mallik.
The civilians killed in clashes with the police were identified as 44-year-old Tahira and 21-year-old Shadab Ahmad Chopan. A couple of weapons were recovered from the scene of the encounter.
Confirming the incident, Deputy general of police SP Vaid said security personnel had been pursuing Lashkari ever since he and his men killed station house officer Feroz Ahmed Dar and five other policemen on June 16.
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