No Food For Families Who Left Village After Folk Singer’s Killing

Around 20 families were forced to leave their village in Rajasthan’s Dantal after a Muslim folk singer was killed.

Image used for representational purpose.

(Photo: Rhythum Seth/The Quint)

Around 20 families were forced to leave their village in Rajasthan’s Dantal after a Muslim folk singer, Amad Khan, was killed in the village for his “poor singing” on 27 September.

Khan, 45, a member of the Langa Manganiyar community, had been killed at the hands of a priest and his associates for not being able to evoke a Hindu goddess with his performance. The priest suggested changes to the hymn, leading to an argument.

Following the incident, families had begun leaving the Jaisalmer village and the district administration had arranged for a temporary shelter for them. However, on Thursday, the villagers said that the administration had failed to provide them food for last two days, Hindustan Times reported.

“We are managing food for us through our local resources. The administration has made no arrangement,” Hindustan Times quoted Tareef Khan as saying. “However, we cannot mop up resources for long,” he added. The report also quoted Jaisalmer municipal council commissioner Jabar Singh as saying that they did not have the budget to provide food for the families.

Singer Killed For “Poor Singing”

Police said the priest, Ramesh Suthar, accused Khan of making mistakes while reciting hymns to evoke a Hindu goddess. He and his friends then broke Khan's musical instruments and killed him. Accused Ramesh was arrested, but others are still at large.

The news of the murder triggered unrest between Hindus and Muslims who have been living together for generations. He did not say how Khan was killed, but Suthar had been arrested. The priest’s accomplices had fled.

Gaurav Yadav, Senior Police Officer

Two of Suthar's family members said he was in shock and refused to talk about the case.

The attack is the latest in a series of incidents targeting the minority Muslim community in states ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party.

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