Rihai Manch marathaon dharna ends after 121 days

    By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,

    Lucknow: The indefinite dharna of Rihai Manch demanding justice for Khalid Mujahid was called off on September 19, Thursday after 121 long days.

    Since May 20 Rihai Manch (Forum for the Release of Innocent Muslims imprisoned in the name of Terrorism) is on indefinite dharna demanding arrest of police officers involved in Khalid Mujahid’s murder, issuing the RD Nimesh commission report and action report, and the immediate release of innocent Muslim youth imprisoned in the name of terrorism.



    Facing flak from all quarters over the failure of the administration to quell the Muzaffarnagar riots, Akhilesh Yadav government had presented the RD Nimesh Commission Report on Monday in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. As the one main demand of the Manch was fulfilled, Manch decided to call of its marathon dharna, but made it clear that they will not rest until the government brings out an action taken report.

    A Mnach spokesperson said that they will now go and campaign amongst people to mobilize them to pressurize the government to take actions.

    Khalid had died under mysterious circumstances on his way back from Faizabad near Ram Sanehi Ghat on May 18. He was declared brought dead by the doctors at district hospital in Barabanki. Later, on the complain of his uncle Zahir Alam Falahi, a case was registered against 42 police officers including former DGP Vikram Singh, ADG Brijlal and others who were on duty during the time of Khalid’s arrest.

    Khalid along with Tariq Qasmi was arrested by Special Task Force (STF) on 20 December 2007 from Barabanki. Huge explosives were also shown as recovered from his possession. STF claimed that he was involved in the serial blasts which occurred in Gorakhpur, Faizabad and Lucknow. Later, Nimesh Commission was constituted headed by Justice R D Nimesh who in its report raised fingers over STF’s claim about the place of arrests.

    Khalid’s family and civil society groups are demanding CBI probe into Khalid’s custodial death and has compared his case with the fake encounter of Ishrat Jahan by the Gujarat Police. They have also questioned the role of the IB.



    Rihai Manch was leading a sustained demonstration against the UP government for last three months now demanding actions on its poll promise of releasing innocent youths languishing in jails in fabricated terror charges.

    Several rights groups and and politicians, including Prakash Karat, Subhasini Ali, film maker Anand Patwardhan, Anusha Rizvi, among others had also expressed their solidarity with the Manch demonstration and on different days made token participation.