It has been a year since 32-year-old Ravinder Kumar was murdered by a group of men for objecting to public urination. Today, what remains of him are his clothes and shoes, which are worn by his brothers, and a picture that hangs in the dimly lit room of his parents.
“ Mujhe ek hi afsos hai. Usne Swacch Bharat ke liye apni jaan dedi lekin usko bhula diya gaya [I have only one grouse. Ravinder gave his life for Swacch Bharat but he has now been forgotten],” says Ravinder’s eldest brother Rajesh (38), an e-rickshaw driver.
He wishes that his younger brother’s “sacrifice” would be commemorated in some form. On May 27, 2017, Ravinder was allegedly thrashed to death by a group of men after he objected to two of them urinating against a wall in public. The police arrested nine men and apprehended two minors in connection with the case.
Widely reported
The incident was widely reported at that time with Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu and Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari visiting Ravinder’s house.
Mr. Naidu handed a cheque of ₹50,000 from his salary. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was then on a four-nation tour, also condemned the incident and sanctioned ₹1 lakh as ex gratia from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. The family also received ₹5 lakh from the Delhi administration.
“So many politicians came to see us then that we did not even get time to mourn his loss properly. But he has never been spoken of by any of them after the incident,” says Mr. Rajesh.
The family of 12, living in three small rooms with one portable cooler, has learnt a lesson — “never suggest or give your opinion to anyone”.
Ravinder’s elder brother Vijender (35), who also drives an e-rickshaw, says that after his brother was killed he made a promise to himself to “never speak where it is not necessary”.
Recalling his first day at work over a month after the incident, Vijender says that he was very scared to ride on the road for the first few hours. Eventually, the fear subsided but now he and Rajesh only drive between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m.
“We are still trying to overcome the fact that he was killed by some Delhi University students. We ferry such students daily to colleges and metro stations,” says Rajesh.
In the last one year, a lot has changed for the family. Ravinder’s elder sister Asha, who stays with her family in Haryana lost her mental balance, his wife Rani suffered a miscarriage after two months of pregnancy and left the house to live with her parents. Ravinder’s parents have not been keeping well and can hardly move around.
Wife miscarried
Rajesh’s wife Indu says she called Rani a few times but she did not take the call.
“After Ravinder’s death, she did not eat for a few days which led to the miscarriage. Over a month later, her parents told us that she did not want to stay with us anymore,” she says. Rani also left the peon job, given for her by the government, just 15 days after joining.
The family says they tried to get the job for Ravinder’s younger brother Azad but “it did not work out”.
Asha, who was admitted to a mental hospital in Shahdara for a few months, is still undergoing treatment in Haryana, they say.
Showing an FIR of theft, Rajesh says his e-rickshaw was stolen two months ago and the battery of Vijender’s e-rickshaw was stolen 15 days before that.
“Ravinder knew how to run around and get the documents. We struggle with getting complaints registered and things like that,” says Rajesh.
As the family talks about Ravinder, Sushila Devi keeps staring at the picture of her son without uttering a word. A tear trickles down her face.
