On June 25, Sunday, the Wardha district chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Jethanand Rajput was brutally attacked by youths belonging to the Muslim community. The incident took place when the RSS leader was travelling in a State Transport Corporation bus from Wardha to Hinganghat via Nandgaon on Sunday evening.
He was assaulted for reportedly intervening and trying to resolve a fight between a Hindu and a Muslim family travelling in the same bus as he was. The Hinganghat police registered a case, based on Jethanand Rajput’s complaint and arrested one accused identified as Sheikh Tanveer Azad.
Angered by the incident, members of RSS and the traders association protested and called for a bandh on Monday.
OpIndia spoke to Jethanand Rajput who detailed what transpired with him. The RSS Wardha chief said that on Sunday evening he took a state transport bus from Wardha to Hinganghat. In the bus, he saw a Hindu family and a Muslim family fighting with eachother. The members of the Muslim family were threatening the Hindu family with dire consequences, Rajput recalled.
The RSS leader quoted the members of the Muslim family as threatening the Hindu family members, “Tum Hinganghat chaloge toh hum humaare logo ko bulwa kar tumko marwa dalenge” (when you reach Hinganghat we will get you’ll killed by our men).
Rajput said that he intervened and tried to pacify the families when he overheard them squabbling, however, the Hindu family got so scared that they decided not to travel by that bus and disembarked at the Wardha bus stop.
Rajput continued, “I went into the bus and sat on my seat after the Hindu family left.” Since the Hindu family had left, I assumed the situation to be resolved. After a while, the bus stopped in Nandgaon, where two people got in. The Muslim family was requested by the duo, who appeared to be known to them, to identify the Hindu family members who had argued with them. The Muslim family’s members informed them that they had gotten off the bus at the Wardha bus stop. The Muslim family then pointed at me and told them that I was the one who had dared to interfere. The two youths, in turn, pulled me from the bus and mercilessly started thrashing me.”
“I managed to escape the two miscreants, returned, and sat in the bus. The Muslim family remained on board the bus while the two youths stayed back at the Nandgaon bus stop. I requested the bus driver to be taken to the nearby police station but he refused. After that, I contacted a friend of mine named Yadav and requested him to meet me at the next bus stop so that we could travel together to the police station to lodge a complaint,” Rajput claimed.
Rajput said, “The Muslim family also got down with me when I got off at the next bus stop.” They asked the man who came to receive them at the bus stop to take a picture of me so they could teach me a lesson. But the man who came to meet the Muslim family assured them that he knew where I was staying and would seek revenge.”
The Muslim family left after threatening the RSS leader, and Rajput rushed to the Hinganghat police station to report the incident.
On Sunday evening, as the news of the incdent spread, a large number of BJP workers and workers of other Hindu organizations gathered at the police station and demanded immediate arrest of the attackers.
Speaking about the incident, District Superintendent of Police Nurul Hasan said in a video byte that a case has been registered and investigation is being conducted.
“We condemn the incident that happened on Sunday, June 25. One elderly man was brutally beaten by some people on the bus. We have identified all the accused and has also detained one person. Meanwhile out Cyber team is looking into the case. Some communal messages are going viral on social media which can disturb peace and communal harmony in the region. I appeal all the Hinganghat residents to maintain peace and not fall for rumours. Strict action in the case will be taken, DSP Nurul Hasan said, adding that his team is on the lookout for the other accused.