Neeraj Prajapati was a part of the pro- CAA tricolour march in Lohardaga, Jharkhand on Thursday (Jan 23, 2020) where a Muslim mob had attacked the rally. He succumbed to his injuries yesterday. The local administration and police are allegedly trying to assert that Neeraj’s death was not due to mob violence.
As per Neeraj Prajapati’s family members, Neeraj was hit on the head with an iron rod by the violent mob on 23 January. He was forced to hide in his shop to save his life. On reaching home, he lost consciousness and fainted. The ambulance service was denied to the family despite repeated requests. Neeraj was taken to the Orchid hospital but the doctors raised their hands and instead referred him to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS). He breathed his last after battling with life for 5 days.
The administration cited the RIMS physicians in their press release who were quoted as saying that Neeraj died of cardiac arrest and had no bruises on his body. The press release alleged that the victim’s death has been due to ‘septic shock from brain stem bleed’. It also reiterated that Neeraj did not die due to violence. So, it begs an important question: Are the local people and the victim’s family members lying?
Neeraj was the breadwinner for his family. He was the source of support for his ailing parents. He ran a sculpting shop with the help of his elder brother. Besides the pension that Neeraj’s father receives from his erstwhile job as a teacher, the shop bore the expenses for the family.
The deceased had carved many idols in advance for the upcoming Saraswati Puja. Neeraj is survived by his wife and two children, a 9-year-old daughter, and a 3-year-old-son. But, a drastic turn of events has wreaked havoc on the poor family.
Neeraj’s neighbour has stated to Opindia that the police were not permitting anyone to meet the family members of the victim. He conceded that Neeraj was the backbone of the family. The victim’s wife is now being pressurised to change her statement.
The police and administration are allegedly constantly pressurizing her to tell that Neeraj died due to a fall in the bathroom. Neighbours are worried as to how the family would now sell the idols that Neeraj had carved out with his hands.
The curfew that was temporarily lifted was reinstated again in Lohardaga after the death of Neeraj. The police have made it clear that the last rites of the deceased ought to be performed in Ranchi and refused to allow the body to be taken to his village. Far from providing any relief at a time of mourning, the administration is now complaining about the “deteriorating situation” in the State.
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Neeraj’s brother-in-law, Santosh, had reached Ranchi to record his statement where accused the police and the administration of making false claims. He stated that he does not know why the police are intimidating them to change their statement. He confessed that Neeraj’s had suffered head injuries after being hit by a rod during the violence by the Muslim mob on 23 January in Lohardaga.
The question then arises: Are the cops trying to protect the perpetrators? Here are the initial statements of the relatives given to the police. They had stated that Neeraj was hit with a rod during the violence.
Speaking to OpIndia, the Jharkhand Bajrang Dal has stated that they will protest if the investigation of Neeraj’s death is not done properly. They alleged that the lane where Neeraj’s house stands has been put under drone surveillance by the police. They have asked what is it that the local administration wants to hide.