Dalit man’s murder: Key accused’s house torched, Himachal BJP demands NIA probe

In protest against the Dalit man’s murder, the mob took to the streets on Thursday and shouted slogans against the administration. They also burned down the house of the key accused in the case.

Manjeet Sehgal

By Manjeet Sehgal: A 22-year-old Dalit man was brutally murdered in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district. The killing sparked a protest in the district, with a mob burning down the house of the prime accused in the case.

The victim, identified as Manohar Lal, went missing on June 6 and his body was recovered on June 9. According to police, his body was chopped into eight pieces and hidden beneath some stones. Police suspect it to be an honour killing case as the man was having an affair with a Muslim woman. The prime accused in this case is Sharif Mohammad, the woman’s father.

In protest against the Dalit man’s murder, the mob took to the streets on Thursday and shouted slogans against the administration. Some of them also stormed the local police station.

Markets in Saloni, Sanghani, Lachori and Kihar areas of Chamba remained closed as a mark of protest.

So far, eight people have been arrested in this case, including Sharif Mohammad and his daughter. During the investigation, police found transactions worth over Rs 2 crore through Mohammad’s bank accounts.

SECTION 144 IMPOSED, BJP DEMANDS NIA PROBE

After protests broke out in the district over the man’s murder, the authorities imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC for a duration of two months.

Meanwhile, the BJP has sought an NIA probe into the case. The saffron party has alleged that the prime accused in this case was also questioned in connection with a terror incident in 1998.

During a press conference in Shimla, former Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur said, “The accused, Sharif Mohammad, was also earlier questioned in connection with a terror incident reported in 1998, in which 35 people were killed and seven others were taken hostage by the Kashmiri militants.”

The BJP has alleged that the accused is a small goat farmer, who owns just 100 goats but recently exchanged Rs 2,000 currency notes worth Rs 97 lakh. The party also accused Mohammad of illegal land encroachments.

“No ordinary man can kill a person like this dalit youth was killed,” Jai Ram Thakur said. He said that a probe should be initiated to identify if the youth was chopped after his death or when he was alive.

HIMACHAL PRADESH CM SAYS LAW WILL TAKE ITS COURSE

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu assured that the case will be thoroughly probed. He also urged the BJP to not give the incident a communal colour.

“Such incidents should not be flared up to achieve ulterior motives just for the sake of politics at the cost of communal harmony. The law will follow its due course. We are with the family of the deceased and will extend all possible assistance to support them” Sukhu said.

Courtesy : India Today

Note: This news piece was originally published in indiatoday.com and used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes exclusively for Human Rights