Condolence meet of lynching accused who died in jail peaceful

BISADA: The condolence ceremony of Ravin Sisodiya, an accused in the Dadri lynching case who had died in judicial custody on October 4, was held peacefully on Wednesday. Family members said they requested those who wanted to politicise the ceremony to stay away.

“My son is dead. I don’t want any more politics. I personally requested all those who wanted to turn the condolence ceremony into a political programme to leave us alone. Only friends, relatives and acquaintances of my family attended,” Ranveer Singh Sisodiya, Ravin’s father, said.

The family of Ravin placed his photograph in front of their residence and covered it with garlands. Mats were also placed near the photograph for visitors. The ceremony was a day long and visitors arrived in small groups throughout.

In a show of communal unity in the village where communal tension has been on the rise, Muslim friends of Ravin’s family also attended the condolence ceremony.

Ravin is one of the 18 members accused of attacking the residence of Mohammad Ikhlaq on September 28, 2015. On the day, a mob of locals had attacked Ikhlaq over allegations of slaughtering a cow and storing its meat for consumption. Ikhlaq was lynched and his son Danish survived with injuries to his skull.

Fifty-year-old Taaj Mohammad, who was sitting with Ravin’s uncle and relatives at the ceremony, said that the villagers were united.