On 27th November, doctors at SRN Hospital said that the bus conductor, Harikesh Vishwakarma, who was by brutally attacked by an Islamist Lareb Hashmi, is stable and recovering. Harikesh underwent surgery with 35 stitches, 20 on his neck and 15 on the other parts of his body. Reportedly, he is out of danger now.
On Monday evening, doctors shifted him from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to the Emergency Ward. Meanwhile, his attacker, Lareb Hashmi, was sent to judicial custody in Naini Jail. Hashmi sustained a bullet wound during an encounter with the security agencies. The investigation into the matter is underway.
Hashmi attacked Harikesh on 24th November in a moving bus. Hashmi claimed he attacked Harikesh as he “disrespected Islam”. Following the attack, Hashmi recorded a video and expressed no remorse while showcasing religious fanaticism.
The police acted swiftly in the incident and arrested Hashmi following an encounter. Reports suggest that a dispute over bus fare led to an argument between Harikesh and Hashmi. Later, Hashmi, who allegedly felt humiliated, attacked Harikesh. However, immediately after the incident, Hashmi created a video giving it a different perspective.
Lareb Hashmi- A self-radicalised Islamist
During interrogation, Hashmi, who was a B.Tech student, admitted he follows the ideology of Pakistani leader Khadim Hussain Rizvi and regularly watched his videos. He acknowledged that he attacked the bus conductor due to the religious extremism.
Furthermore, he admitted to being a “fan” of Atiq Ahmed, a notorious gangster-turned-politician who was killed in April 2023 when he was being taken for a medical check-up. Lareb Hashmi expressed his displeasure over the murder of Atiq Ahmed and told police he did not trust the security agencies, hence took revenge.
After Hashmi’s video surfaced, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) intensified the investigation into his associates and family. The investigating agencies seized his laptop, documents and other devices.
During interrogation, it was revealed he became self-radicalised. He was inspired by the Jihadi videos and aspired to implement Sharia Law in India. He also attempted to connect to Pakistani terror networks.
Cleaver Attack on Harikesh Vishwakarma
On 25th November, a man named Lareb Hashmi attacked a 24-year-old Hindu bus conductor, Harikesh Vishwakarma, with a cleaver after accusing the latter of committing ‘blasphemy’. The incident took place in the Praygraj city of Uttar Pradesh. Harikesh suffered grievous injuries to his neck and body after Hashmi hacked him with a cleaver over a ticket fare dispute. Following the brutal attack, the Islamist jumped out of the bus and sought refuge in a nearby college campus. Later, he released a video accusing Harikesh of blasphemy. Police swung into action and arrested him following an encounter. Harikesh belongs to a poor family and his medical expenses were paid by colleagues.