By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
Parts of Madhya Pradesh were engulfed in communal tensions as right-wing Hindu organisations tried to attack shops and other establishments after one Muslim, Siraj Khan was lynched and one more person, Shakeel was left fighting for life. Four people have been arrested in relation to the attacks on the two people, and the situation in the region remains tense but under control.
According to reports emerging from the region, Siraj, a tailor by profession and Shakeel were allegedly caught in a forest near Anjar village, about 70 kilometres from Satna by local villagers who reached the spot after being told that some people were allegedly carrying cattle towards a quarry. Over a 100 people beat Siraj to death on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. According to a local journalist, ever since the four people were arrested, the Hindu right-wing organisations have been attacking Muslim establishments with the help of police. “I saw Hindu right-wing organisation members with swords in various areas of Satna and Guna attacking shops, even as the police were watching as if they are helpless. Across Madhya Pradesh, Muslims are being threatened during the month of Ramzan and this attack on the two Muslims is part of the same strategy,” he said.
Of the accused, one person is said to belong to the RSS and was a local pracharak, the local source confirmed.
According to reports, one of the accused has also filed a complaint against Siraj and Shakeel for cow slaughter, which is a crime in Madhya Pradesh punishable by up to seven years in prison.
The wife of Siraj said she could not believe her husband would be involved in cow slaughter. “I cannot believe he could slaughter an animal because he was scared of blood. We never even performed Qurbani on Eid because of his fear,” Shahidunnisa, wife of Siraj, told the Indian Express.