The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Rajasthan on Saturday announced an ex-gratia assistance of ₹5 lakh to the family of the migrant labourer from West Bengal, Mohammed Afrazul, who was hacked and burnt to death in Rajsamand. The video of the horrific incident, circulated on social media, has caused a nation-wide outrage.
Director-General of Police O.P. Galhotra, who arrived in Rajsamand to take stock of the situation, told reporters that the State government had decided to give financial assistance to the family, and that Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje had sent him to the town to assure the minority community that she was with them.
Civil rights groups in the State have demanded Ms. Raje’s resignation for what they describe as her failure to stop the lynching of Muslims for the past several months. A day earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had declared a compensation of ₹3 lakh to the victim's family, residing in Malda district, and offered a job to one of his family members.
Mr. Galhotra, accompanied by Additional Director-General (Crime) P.K. Singh, inspected the site of offence and interacted with community members to assure them of full security measures. “I have supervised the investigation which is under way. The accused was promptly arrested. It was a very serious offence,” he said.
The DGP said the police would file the charge sheet in the court within a month. “The investigating team has collected scientific and forensic evidence from the spot. The accused is being intensely interrogated,” he said.
In the video of the incident, accused Shambhu Lal Raigar was seen hitting Afrazul, 48, with an axe and then burning him alive after pouring an inflammable liquid on him. After setting the victim ablaze, Raigar asked the minority community to leave the country and warned that those who indulge in faith-related violence would be met with the same fate.
Social activist and Magsaysay Award winner Aruna Roy on Saturday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemn Afrazul’s murder and assure the people of the country of firm steps to deal with the atmosphere of “fear and hatred”. “Mr. Modi, who talks on small issues in Mann Ki Baat, should also speak up on lynching of Muslims,” she said.
Ms. Roy said at a press conference in Ajmer that the accused had deliberately chosen the day of 25th anniversary of demolition of Babri Masjid for killing the Muslim labourer. She demanded an immediate ban on “hate programmes” of Sangh Parviar outfits and strict action against the BJP leaders who she said were protecting the criminals involved in the lynching incidents.
