While people are still not able to digest the brutal murder of labourer Mohammed Afrazul, the assailant Shambhulal Regar is being hailed in WhatsApp groups in Rajsamand, including one in which the local BJP MLA and MP are members, reported The Indian Express.
The WhatsApp group, ‘Swachh Rajsamand, Swachh Bharat’, has been created by Prem Mali, who claims he is a BJP “booth vistarak” (booth-level worker) in Rajsamand.
Afrazul, a 55-year-old daily wage labourer in the Rajsamand district of Rajasthan was brutally beaten up with agricultural tools and then set on fire. Sambhulal Raigar was seen saying that anyone who commits “jihad” will be met with the same fate, in a gruesome video of the murder that went viral.
“Love jihadiyon sawdhaan, jaag utha hai Shambhu Lal, Jai Shri Ram (Love jihadis beware, Shambhu Lal has awakened, Jai Shri Ram),” reads a message on the group.
Some reports say there are messages circulating that a lawyer Sukhdev will defend Shambhu’s case.
“Shambhu ka case Sukhdev ladega, aur Shambhu ko nyay dilayega, vakeel ho toh aap jaisa, Jai Mewar, Jai Mavli. Nihshulk ladenge, Vakeel Sukhdev Singh Ujjwal Mavli (Sukhdev will fight Shambhu’s case and get him justice. A lawyer should be like you. Jai Mewar, Jai Mavli. Will fight free of cost, Advocate Sukhdev Singh Ujjwal Mavli),” reads another post, reported the newspaper.
Indian Express contacted the lawyer Sukhdev Singh Ujjwal who denied it. “I have no idea about this message circulating on social media. I have no plans to defend Regar, I am already stuck with a lot of work. I don’t know how this came on social media… maybe some client did it,” he said.
The local MP Rathore too said he was not aware about the messages.
Kiran Maheshwari, the local MLA and the state higher education minister, who is allegedly a member of one of the WhatsApp groups said, “There are thousands of people connected in WhatsApp, how am I concerned with this? Have I reported on anything? It’s clear now that the accused was a man with perverted mentality and was mentally disturbed,” she said.
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