Three members of a Hindu family were arrested in Bikaner on 3 May for allegedly thrashing to death a 22-year-old Muslim man who they believed was in a relationship with their relative, reported PTI.
The victim, Saif Ali Khan, was first hit by the woman’s male cousin when he entered their locality on Tuesday, The Wire reported. As a crowd gathered, Khan was abducted in a car by the woman’s family members from Rampura Basti and taken to the remote Karni Industrial Area, The Wire report added, where they broke his legs and dumped him in a drain.
Khan, who worked as a fruit vendor, is believed to have been pursuing the woman even after her marriage was arranged, PTI said. Her family planned her marriage with a man from their own community and then sent her off to live with their relatives in order to prevent her from meeting Khan, The Wire said.
The man was involved in a relationship with a woman. When the woman’s family came to know about the affair, they fixed her marriage elsewhere, but the man was trying to make contact with her so that they can elope. (sic)Bhajan Lal, Sub-Inspector of Naya Shahar Police Station told PTI
An FIR was lodged in the Naya Sahar police station in Bikaner against seven people, including the woman’s father, involved in the incident. Amar Deen, Khan’s uncle, told The Wire that no arrest has been made so far.
Khan’s death comes weeks after Ankit Saxena, a 23-year-old man from Delhi, was reportedly beaten and stabbed to death in public view by his alleged Muslim girlfriend’s family who opposed their relationship in February this year.
Last December, in Rajsamand, Mohammad Afrazul, a labourer from Bengal was allegedly hacked to death by a man named Shambulal Regar, who claimed to protect a Hindu woman from the clutches of ‘love-jihad’.
In Another Incident, Inter-Caste Couple Beaten Up in Ajmer
A few days ago, another violent case of inter-community lovers being allegedly attacked was reported in Ajmer — where a couple was beaten up by a group of people on 24 April, ANI reported.
According to the Times of India, two different videos from Roopangarh block of Ajmer went viral. One showed a girl being attacked with shoes and slippers as dozens stood still witnessing the brutality. While the other showed a boy, allegedly her boyfriend, being thrashed in open by people from his community.
Reportedly, the boy and the girl who belonged to different castes wanted to marry, but their respective communities objected to the relationship, the TOI report added.
In addition, both families refused to register any case in the matter with the Roopangarh police.
We came to know about the incident after the video went viral. We have registered separate cases and are investigating. Culprits will be arrested and strictest action will be taken.Rajendra Singh, Superintendent of Police to ANI
(With inputs from ANI, PTI, The Wire, Times of India)
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