Madhya Pradesh: What happened in Baraudia Naungir Dalit murder case, when will the victim get justice!

 Sagar. Atrocities against Dalits are at their peak in Madhya Pradesh. Last month, the murder of Dalit Rajendra in Sagar district and the suspicious death of Anjana shocked everyone. Rajendra and Anjana were the main witnesses in the Nitin murder case of the year 2023. Who have lost their lives.

Satish Bhartiya

These incidents of Rajendra’s murder and Anjana’s suspicious death are from village Baraudia Naungir of Khurai assembly in Sagar. The victim’s side and social organizations had demanded a CBI inquiry into this incident. But, even after almost a month has passed, there is no trace of the investigation. The victim’s family is waiting for justice. But, it is not known when will the victim’s family get justice?

When and how did the incidents of murder and suspicious death happen

According to the FIR of the deceased Rajendra, the murder took place on 25/05/2024. On this date, the accused beat up Rajendra in which he got injured. Then, the injured Rajendra was taken to Khurai Hospital. Later, he was referred from Khurai to Sagar. Rajendra had injuries in both ears, mouth, head, wrists and toes. There was blood flowing along with it. Rajendra was beaten up with an axe and sticks. Rajendra’s mobile phone was also broken in this assault. The incident of assault took place over an old report. At the same time, ASP Lokesh Sinha told the media that 24-year-old Rajendra Ahirwar was killed in a clash between two groups in Khurai. He was injured in this, later he died.

The FIR (dated 26/05/2024) lodged by the deceased Rajendra’s father Ramsevak in connection with Rajendra’s murder was registered under Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act, 1989 has been imposed in the case. The FIR names five accused including Aashiq Qureshi, Bablu Bena, Israel Bena, Faheem Khan, Tantu Qureshi.

The second incident was of Anjana’s death. According to the police, Anjana (20) opened the gate of the hearse near Acharya Vidyanagar Tiraha in Khurai, about 20 km from the village, and jumped out. Anjana was seriously injured in the incident. The police, who were walking ahead of the hearse, admitted Anjana to the hospital, but she died during treatment. Anjana’s suspicious death raises many questions. People do not believe in Anjana’s suspicious death, because Anjana was a brave girl. Who was fighting for justice for the molestation that happened to her in 2019. Anjana’s fight became more serious when her brother Nitin was murdered. Anjana was also the main witness in Nitin’s murder. It was about to be 5 years since Anjana fought for justice to get justice for herself and Nitin. In such a situation, Anjana’s suspicious death has become a mystery.

How the incidents of murder and death started

The Dalit murder case in Baraudia Naunagir village started with a molestation case. This case was of deceased Nitin’s deceased sister Anjana in the year 2019. The report of which was made in Khurai police station. After the report was registered, the accused party was pressurizing the victim’s side for a compromise. The victim’s side refused to compromise. Since then, this dispute regarding the compromise continued. The dispute did not stop but increased. Then, on 24/08/2023, Anjana’s brother Nitin is brutally beaten up by the goons. In which Nitin dies. Seeing the son Nitin being beaten up, Nitin’s mother comes to save him, then the mother is also beaten up.

The accused did not stop here, they crossed all limits and also stripped Nitin’s mother naked in public. The bullies broke the roof of the victims’ house and also destroyed the household items. The brutality of the bullies can be gauged from the fact that they beat up the victims’ animals, horses and even killed the parrot. This incident of 24 August 2023 was registered as the Nitin murder case. After the incident, the victim’s family and social workers placed many of their demands before the administration. The collector wrote down these demands and assured to fulfill them.

The demands written on paper by the collector were as follows

Job to one member of the family, financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh, arrest of all within an hour, rehabilitation system, compensation of goods, arms license, police will not unnecessarily harass the family members. Other demands included these. The date 26/08/2023 is recorded on these written demands. Along with this, Collector Sagar is written and signature is also recorded. But, many of these demands were not accepted. Anjana said this in the memorandums given to the government-administration. At the same time, Anjana’s brother also said in the statement that the demands written by the collector were not fulfilled. The collector’s demands remained only assurances.

After Nitin’s murder, sister Anjana started fighting to get the culprits of brother Nitin’s murder punished and to get justice for the family. In this fight to get justice, Anjana wrote many memorandums, applications to the government-administration and leaders.

An application was written by Anjana to the Sagar Police Administration on 29/09/2023. Some important parts of this application are as follows:- In crime number 329/2023, my brother Nitin was murdered and my mother was also beaten up by the accused. My mother’s hand has not yet healed due to this assault. The accused are very influential, under whose pressure the doctor did not treat my mother properly and drove her out of the hospital. The police did not add the name of the main accused of the incident, Ankit Singh, in the FIR. Apart from this, the ten assurances given by the Collector in writing have also not been fulfilled till date. On the other hand, the relatives of the accused are pressurizing my family members that if they do not compromise, then after coming out of jail, you people will not be allowed to live in the village. We are in danger of life from the accused and the relatives of the accused.

An application was also written by Anjana to the Superintendent of Police, Sagar on 31/10/2023. This application was regarding getting the Nitin murder case investigated by an impartial officer and changing the investigating officer. It was written in the application that, in this incident, my brother Nitin was beaten with an iron rod by Ankit’s father Rajkumar. But in this case, the police did not name Ankit Thakur as the main accused. Whereas, on 8/09/2023, a written complaint was made by the applicant Anjana against the accused Ankit and other accused. Further, through the application, a request was made for a fair investigation and justice.

Many memoranda and applications were written by Anjana to get justice in the murder of her brother Nitin. But, no special response came from the government-administration regarding justice. Nor was any attempt made to understand the pain of the victim’s family.

Then, what happened next with the victim’s family shocked everyone. On 25/05/2024, the accused brutally beat up Rajendra Ahirwar of the victim’s family, due to which Rajendra died. After the murder of uncle Rajendra, Anjana was coming to her village with his body. Then on the way, according to the police, Anjana jumped from the ambulance. Due to which Anjana got seriously injured. Then during treatment, Anjana died. Anjana’s death is being described as suspicious.

What did the victim’s side say on the incident

In the case of Rajendra’s murder, father Ramsevak says that “My son has been brutally murdered. When my son was brutally beaten, I was not there. When my son was taken to Khurai hospital. Then I came to know that my son is in the hospital. I saw negligence in the hospital. There was also a delay in treatment in the hospital. If there had been no delay in the hospital, then my son’s life could have been saved.”

‘When the police brought my son’s body, they hurriedly cremated it. None of my relatives were able to attend my son’s funeral. Even my daughter could not see her brother’s last rites.’

Ram Sevak further says, “We want justice for the murder of our son Rajendra. When the Chief Minister came, we were given a cheque of Rs 8 lakh 12 thousand. Congress leader Digvijay Singh gave us Rs 50 thousand. Congress leader Jeetu Patwari gave us Rs 1 lakh. But this money cannot return my son to me. There were many serious wounds on my son’s body. My tears were not stopping after seeing my son’s body. Now I am just waiting for justice for my son and this wait will continue for life.”

We also talked to deceased Rajendra’s father Ram Sevak about Anjana’s death. Because, suspiciously, Ram Sevak was also present in the ambulance from which Anjana jumped and died. On Anjana’s suspicious death, Ramsevak says, ‘We don’t know when Anjana jumped out of the ambulance. We, husband and wife, were sad over the murder of our son Rajendra, we were crying. Tears were falling from our eyes. After some time, we drank water and then we fell asleep.’

Ramsevak further says, “When the driver stopped the ambulance, we woke up and found out that Anjana was lying on the road. Then, the police picked Anjana up and put her in the car. Anjana was not talking at that time. The car had gone a little distance when another police car came and Anjana was put in that car. My wife was also made to sit with her. My wife has very little hearing. After this, Anjana and my wife were told to be taken to Khurai Hospital. After this, I don’t know whether the police took Anjana to the hospital or not. If I had been taken with Anjana instead of my wife, then I would have been able to tell what happened next.”

Vishnu Ahirwar, brother of deceased Anjana, is now fighting for justice for brother Nitin, uncle Rajendra and sister Anjana.

When we talked to Vishnu Ahirwar about what happened in the incident, what is the family thinking about the incident? Then Vishnu said, ‘The wounds of brother Nitin’s murder that happened last year were not healed. We got only financial help. But justice was not received. In such a situation, this year, the murder of uncle Rajendra and the suspicious death of Anjana has brought a mountain of sorrows on our family. There can be no bigger incident in our life than the murders that happened in our family.’

Further Vishnu says, ‘The names of the main accused in the murder of uncle Rajendra were also not added in the FIR. At the same time, my sister Anjana was being threatened and harassed by the accused since a long time. In such a situation, the truth of the unusual incident of Anjana’s suspicious death should come out in front of us. The police did not even register an FIR on Anjana’s suspicious death. That is why we have demanded a CBI inquiry into the suspicious death of sister Anjana and the murder of uncle Rajendra. So that the truth can come out.’

Then Vishnu says, ‘Before Rajendra’s murder, police security was removed from our house without informing us. Police security was provided to us after Nitin’s murder. The cameras installed near the house were not working for three months. We and our family were constantly asking the police to turn the cameras on. An impartial investigation should be done as to why my district was changed before the incident. The Chief Minister has asked to open a police post here. But, our lives are still in danger. We have no faith in the administration. The administration has also confiscated my mobile.’

Vishnu further says, ‘It is being said about my family that my family was of a hooligan nature. Last year, my brother Nitin was murdered. He was also called a hooligan. But, we have never slapped anyone till date. Think, if we were goons, would we have sat quietly? The injustice done to us is also due to casteism. The accused in my family who have committed the murders are getting political protection. That is why we are not getting justice.

Statement of a Dalit man from the village

We also talked to Raghunath, a Dalit man from the village, about the incident. He says, ‘The incidents of Dalit murders in the village have created an atmosphere of terror and fear in the Dalit community. Many people from the Dalit community are thinking whether they should live in the village or not. After the incident, the atmosphere of fear is so much that no one wants to talk or tell about the incidents. There is a fear that our lives may also be in danger.’

Raghunath further says, ‘Earlier, when Nitin was murdered, it was said that he was involved in cases like theft and hooliganism. But, think, would 18-year-old Nitin have troubled everyone? This was a conspiracy to tarnish the image of the family. Which is still being done. Many false stories have also been fabricated against the victim’s side. Casteism is at its peak in our village. It is not possible for the upper and lower castes to eat together and get up together in the village. One of the points in the murders that were carried out is caste.’

Opposition parties demand CBI investigation in the incident

Regarding the incident, the state Congress President Jeetu Patwari has written a letter to the Chief Minister on 29/05/2024. Some excerpts from this letter are described as follows:

Courtesy : Hindi News