A week after outrage over the Hathras case, another gruesome incident has been reported from Uttar Pradesh after a six-year-old girl died in a Delhi hospital on Tuesday, ten days after she was allegedly raped in Aligarh.
According to the reports, a six-year-old girl was raped by her own cousin in Iglas in Aligarh about ten days back. The minor girl belonged to Hathras but had been living with her maternal aunt after her mother had died last year. The minor succumbed to injuries ten days after she was raped.
Reportedly, the girl was taken to Delhi for treatment after her condition deteriorated. The incident had taken place in Jatoi village in Kotwali Sadabad region.
Arrested accused is also a minor
On September 24, the Uttar Pradesh police had arrested the minor accused and had produced before a juvenile court. The accused was then sent to Mathura Children’s Home on the orders of the Child Welfare Committee.
Following the death of the daughter, the father of the victim has alleged that the police has arrested the wrong person. According to the father, the police officials have arrested a boy with mental illness, however, it was the elder brother of the arrested who was named by her daughter when she died, the father alleged.
Meanwhile, the family of the deceased minor girl placed her body at the Sadabad-Baldev road and protested against the Uttar Pradesh while demanding the arrest of the accused.
SSP Aligarh G Muniraj has suspended the Station House Officer of Iglas for delaying the arrest of the accused. The Uttar Pradesh police also reached the spot to pacify the protestors.
The incident comes amidst the ongoing political controversy over the death of a 19-year-old girl in Hathras that has led to protests by various political parties in several parts of the country.
Hearing the PIL on the Hathras case, the Chief Justice of India observed that the incident was shocking and extraordinary, and ensured that the investigation in the case will be smooth.
The apex court ordered the UP government to file an affidavit detailing the protection extended to the victim’s family and the witnesses, if the family has a lawyer to assist to them and providing the scope of the High Court and how can the top court widen it. The matter is adjourned till the next week.
CJI to UP Govt: File an affidavit on 1) how the family and witnesses are being protected
2) If the family has a lawyer to assist them
3) What’s the scope of High Court proceedings and how we can widen its scope
SC adds it will ensure the investigations is smooth.
An affidavit filed by UP government asks SC to order a CBI probe
The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that the body of the 19-year-old Dalit girl, who died on September 29, was cremated under extraordinary circumstances at night to avoid “large-scale violence”.
The Yogi Adityanath government also added that despite its “diligent probe” into the Hathras case, there had been an attempt to build “false narratives” at the behest of some “vested interests”. SG Mehta, representing the UP government, urged the court that such false narratives can be stopped if it orders monitoring and investigation by a central agency.
Asking for a CBI probe, the affidavit filed by the UP government claimed that a section of media is trying to give a communal & casteist colour to the Hathras incident and therefore the apex court should direct a court-monitored CBI investigation in the case, rooting out the false narratives.
Indira Jaising demands transfer of the case to Delhi, CJI says she had no locus standi
Senior Advocate Indira Jaising appeared in the court seeking protection of the victim’s family. She further reiterated that the justice can be done only if the trial is shifted to Delhi from Allahabad High Court, saying that a judicial probe, under the aegis of a former judge is preferable.
However, CJI sharply retorted, “We are hearing you because the incident is shocking and extraordinary. We are also appreciating your assistance but you may not have the locus. Let us hear the petitioners also.” CJI also added that whatever is being argued in the Supreme Court can be argued by the High Court as well and they may even benefit from the High Court order first.
Solicitor General also rebutted Indira Jaising, claiming the family had already been granted the security by the government. “Things are being argued here without knowing the facts. Witnesses are being protected,” he added.
Scroll has republished an article initially published on Pakistani media outlet Dawn where Hindutva and India were blamed for a lack of peace between India and Pakistan. The article, authored by one Jawed Naqvi, was supposed to be a eulogy to the late Jaswant Singh but instead, it becomes obvious through the course of it that its actual purpose is absolving Pakistan of all its sins.
The author has spent his entire life writing for Pakistani publication and deriding India, however, it may be noted that there were certain claims of him being of Indian origin.
The article speaks of the time when Jaswant Singh supposedly wished to establish peace between the two countries by turning the existing Line of Actual Control into a hard border. The plot, apparently, was sabotaged by L.K.Advani due to its Hindutva ideological predispositions and also because peace between India and Pakistan was apparently undesirable for Hindutva’s electoral prospects.
Scroll republishes article which originally appeared on Dawn
The article used fancy words to cloak the real source of tensions between the two countries. India and Pakistan are destined to be each other’s enemies due to the circumstances which led to the creation of the Republics in 1947. It would be extremely difficult for either of the two countries to look past the events of that period.
Pakistan cannot look past that hatred because it is only a morbid hatred towards India that justifies its continued existence. India cannot look past it because the Islamic state uses terrorism as a weapon of war against us to this very day. Any reasonable person would believe that an end to cross border terrorism is the minimum prerequisite for lasting peace between the two countries and the blame for tensions would only lie with the country that sponsors terrorism. But it’s only in the clown world that we live in that India is blamed for apparently not allowing a peace deal to go through.
But a journalist who has made a career out of writing for Pakistani papers cannot be expected to concede such basic truths. Unable to accept such obvious facts, it is only to be expected such a journalist would clutch at straws to absolve the military-political establishment of his own country. And when an opportunity presents itself where Hindutva can also be dragged through the mud, it is only natural that it will be the chosen course of action.
The author also snidely remarked that the Parliament Attack of 2001, the Mumbai Terror Attack in 2008 and the Pulwama Terror Attack benefited the BJP. The author’s tenuous relationship with facts is revealed herein since on two of those three occasions, the BJP lost the subsequent General Elections. He also assiduously ignored Pakistan’s own role in each of these terror attacks.
It is reflective of the falling standards of journalism in the country that Scroll allows such drivel to be published in its platform. Only a fool would believe that peace between the two countries would magically materialise should the LOC be turned into a hard border. But Indian media outlets are so consumed by their hatred towards Hindutva that any and every opportunity to target Hindutva, no matter how inane it is, is grabbed eagerly with both hands.
Not merely that, Pakistan also uses articles published by Indian journalists to further its own propaganda against India. Recently, Dawn republished an article originally published on Shekhar Gupta’s The Print authored by Shivam Vij. Thus, it is a two-way street but the target always seems to be India and always, the state sponsor of terrorism is given a free pass.
Update: Article has been updated with relevant information
A Bahujan support group, named, Revolutionary Memes for Bahujan Teens have yet again slammed actress Swara Bhaskar for hijacking their caste struggle in the aftermath of the Hathras case. While the group did not object to her participation, it expressed displeasure over the conduct of the actress in hogging the ‘limelight’ off the case and the movement. Days after calling her a ‘parasite’ for trying to hijack the movement demanding justice for Hathras victim.
We are not saying not to participate in anti-caste struggle @ReallySwara. Our objection was the way you did it. Let Dalit-Bahujan take the stage, as a Savarna be a humble servant of the movement, start a Reformation among your own people FIRST. How difficult is it to understand? https://t.co/SvzlABx8XQ
— Revolutionary Memes For Bahujan Teens (@RMBT_tweets) October 5, 2020
“We are not saying not to participate in the anti-caste struggle, Swara Bhaskar. Our objection was the way you did it,” it tweeted. The group added that they want the movement to be spearheaded by Dalits and not Savarna (upper-caste) individuals such as Swara Bhaskar. Revolutionary Memes for Bahujan Teens also asked her to instead lead a ‘reformation’ campaign within her own community.
It stated, “Let Dalit-Bahujan take the stage, as a Savarna be a humble servant of the movement, start a Reformation among your own people FIRST. How difficult is it to understand?” The response of the Bahujan group comes after Swara Bhaskar’s tweet wherein she expressed her ‘grief’ on being targetted for leading the movement. She wrote, “Dammned if you do (something), damned if you don’t.”
Netizens slam Swara Bhaskar for hijacking Dalit movement
Several Twitter users also suggested Swara Bhaskar to not disrupt the movement. A Twitter user, (@inquietraj) suggested her to learn to take constructive criticism and work on it. Rejecting her rant as ‘petulance’, he tweeted, “Ms. Bhasker I hope you’ve made an honest effort to understand and learn from the feedback you’ve received. This kind of petulance in the face of constructive criticism is not a good look. Please do better.”
Ms. Bhasker I hope you’ve made an honest effort to understand and learn from the feedback you’ve received. This kind of petulance in the face of constructive criticism is not a good look.
— Raj against the UC Machine #DLM (@inaquietraj) October 5, 2020
Another user (@meowist_life) accused her of generalising their campaign by ‘dismissing’ the caste angle. She stated, “The point is not about whether you do. And you definitely do, and you do good compared to your industry buddies. That’s not the point. When you say ‘our’ demands, you’re generalizing it by dismissing caste.” She further explained that a Dalit should be allowed to take on the podium instead of a Kanhaiya Kumar (who belongs to the upper-caste fold).
The point is not about whether you do. And you definitely do, and you do good compared to your industry buddies. That’s not the point. When you say ‘our’ demands, you’re generalizing it by dismissing caste. It should’ve been a Dalit women on the podium instead of Kanhaiya.
Another user named Walter White also told Swara Bhaskar to allow the centre-stage to a Dalit woman. The user told her that her contribution will be ‘helpful’ if she can teach the upper-caste individuals to refrain from casteist behaviour. “Please give the stage to the Bahujan Women next women (next time). It will be more helpful. And if you want to transform the society, then teaching of upper caste not to do casteism is more helpful,” the Twitter user wrote.
Please give stage to the Bahujan Women next women. It will be more helpful. And if you want to transform the society, then teaching of upper caste not to do castesim is more helpful.
Bahujan support group calls Swara Bhasker ‘parasite’
Earlier, Revolutionary Memes for Bahujan Teens referred to Swara Bhaskar as a ‘parasite.’ The group said that even though she studied sociology at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) but did not seem to have read books and writings by Pierre Bourdieu, Antonio Gramsci, Jane Elliott, Peggy McIntosh, Malcolm X. It concluded that the lack of knowledge led her to jump at every opportunity to hog the limelight in the Dalit-Bahujan space.
Calling her half ‘Baman’ (Brahmin) and half Kayastha, the Bahujan support space suggested that she should start reformation movement from her own community and the states her parents come from, before hijacking Dalit-Bahujan space. The page further mentioned that her parents hail from Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, two of the states which top the list on honour killings.
Amidst the politicisation of the Hathras case, a video has been doing rounds on social media showing Congress scions Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra giggling in the car on their way to Hathras where they were going to allegedly show solidarity with the family of the victim.
#WATCH Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on her way to meet the family of the alleged gangrape victim in #Hathras (UP), with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi (Source-Congress) pic.twitter.com/TSy7gLaxPL
The video received lot of flak on social media and apparently this did not go down well with media channel India Today. India Today jumped in to ‘fact-check’ the viral video. The media channel claimed that the video was shared by a lot of Congress leaders with and without the giggling sound. The channel did not deny that both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are seated at the front in the car but it claimed that the faces of the Gandhi scions were not visible. Therefore, it cannot be ascertained as to who is laughing.
The video was shared from the Twitter profile of the student wing of the Congress party NSUI with the giggling sound.
India Today could not produce a version of the viral video without the giggling sound which was as long as the video with the giggling sound. The videos without the giggling sound shared by Congress leaders are shorter videos with the giggling part edited out. If one listens closely the voices of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are clearly audible in the giggling. Therefore, there is hardly anything to doubt the authenticity of the video when it is being shared by Congress leaders themselves.
Moreover, in a bid to give a clean chit to the Gandhi siblings, India Today did a misleading ‘fact-check’.
India Today shared an image taken ahead of 2019 general elections where the Gandhi siblings are smiling and posing for camera and ‘fact-checked’ to claim that the ‘giggling video’ was ‘misleading’. India Today mischievously took two separate incidents and conveniently skipped the latest giggling video to give the Gandhi siblings a clean chit.
The bail application of actor Rhea Chakraborty, who was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in a drugs case linked to the death of her rumoured boyfriend and actor Sushant Singh Rajput, has again been rejected and her judicial custody has been extended by another 14 days. Rhea’s brother Showik Chakraborty’s bail application was also rejected. The sister-brother duo will now have to stay on in Byculla jail until October 20.
Special NDPS Court extends judicial custody of Rhea Chakraborty, Showik Chakraborty and others till 20th October. #SushantSinghRajputDeathCase
Judicial custody of Rhea Chakraborty was earlier extended till October 6 by NDPS court
Earlier on September 22, the special Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) court had earlier extended the judicial custody of actor Rhea Chakraborty till October 6.
While applying for bail, Rhea had alleged that she had been pressurised into making self-incriminating confessions during her interrogations by the NCB. The actor had maintained that she has not committed any crime and has been falsely framed in the case. Withdrawing her ‘self-incriminating confessions’, she called her arrest as “unwarranted, unjustified,” and termed it as arbitrary.
Rhea arrested in a drugs case linked to the death of Sushant Singh Rajput
Rhea was charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances(NDPS) Act by the Narcotics Control Bureau and arrested last month for her alleged role in the drugs angle that emerged in the case following the death of Sushant on June 14.
Rhea was charged under Section 8(c) (produce, manufacture, possess, sell, purchase, transport, warehouse, use, consume, import); 20(b)(ii) (punishment for contravention in relation to the cannabis plant and cannabis where such contravention relates to small quantity, involves quantity lesser than commercial quantity but greater than small quantity, involves commercial quantity); 22 (punishment for contravention in relation to psychotropic substances); 27A (punishment for financing illicit traffic and harbouring offenders); 28 (punishment for attempts to commit offences); and 29 (punishment for abetment and criminal conspiracy) of the NDPS act.
An exclusive news report published by Zee News claims that the Hathras victim’s brother was friends with the main accused Sandeep and used to talk with him on phone too.
The call record details accessed by Zee News reportedly show that the main accused Sandeep was in regular contact with the victim’s family through a particular phone number. The police have now found that the number in question is registered in the name of victim’s brother. The details reveal that five hours of conversation took between the two numbers during the period of October 2019 to March 2020.
While the records suggested that the victim’s brother was having talks with Sandeep, he has denied having conversations with the main accused in the Hathras case, as per the Zee News report. This gives rise to the question of if not the brother then who had conversations worth more than 5 hours in 6 months duration.
It is notable here that several media reports have cited that the villagers in the Bhoolgarhi village where the strangulation incident occurred on September 14 had stated that the accused Sandeep and the deceased victims had an affair, which was opposed by both families. There is also an old land dispute between both families, prompting speculations that the accused may have been framed by the deceased victim’s family.
The same report published by Zee News mentions some villagers who had hinted towards a possible love affair between the accused and the victim. The family members of the accused have also pledged innocence of their kin and rubbished the allegations of gang-rape levelled against them. It is notable here that the Hathras victim’s family members had only alleged a strangulation attempt in their initial police complaint in the case.
Viral videos showing the statements of the victim and her mother had also claimed that she was attacked and strangulated while working in the fields with her mother. There was no mention of rape or sexual assault in the initial statements. The victim’s family had alleged rape after several days and ‘added’ the names of other accused persons in their statement.
The Hathras incident
The Hathras case came under the spotlight after the victim of the incident succumbed to her injuries last Tuesday. It has been alleged that the victim was brutalised and allegedly raped two weeks before her death. However, post mortem and forensic lab results had ruled out rape or any kind of sexual assault on the victim.
The opposition parties have also used the incident to mount their attack and mobilise support against the Yogi Adityanath government. Despite prohibitory orders, several politicians reached Hathras and demanded to meet the family of the victim. This has often resulted in clashes between the supporters of the politicians and the law enforcement officials.
FIR filed against various individuals for instigating caste-based violence in Uttar Pradesh
At least 6 FIRs have been filed by the UP police against various individuals relating to the Hathras case. One of the FIRs states that an international conspiracy was hatched with the help of funding from Amnesty International and Islamic countries to foment unrest in the state on the lines of social upheaval in the United States.
The police had claimed that the conspiracy was meant to trigger a caste-based riots in the state. The role of fundamentalist organisations such as PFI and SDPI, who also played a key role in touching off anti-CAA riots earlier this year, has come to the fore.
The Uttar Pradesh Government has submitted a detailed affidavit in the Supreme Court seeking a CBI inquiry monitored by the apex court in Hathras case. The affidavit states that the Hathras victim’s body was cremated late night based on intel inputs that trouble was brewing in the area as vested interests were trying to exploit the incident by giving it a caste/communal colour. The Yogi government stated that the administration took the decision to avoid large scale violence the next morning.
Vicious campaign unleashed to defame state govt: UP to SC
Uttar Pradesh govt’s affidavit also stated that the Uttar Pradesh police has been taking all urgent and necessary actions since the case was first reported on September 14, 2020. However, a vicious campaign has been unleashed to defame the State govt and a certain section of print and electronic media, social media and political parties have been attempting to incite caste/communal riots.
#Hathras case: Uttar Pradesh govt’s affidavit states a “vicious campaign” has been unleashed to defame the State govt.
It explains in detail the investigation carried out so far in the case, & says that vested interests are attempting to ascribe motive to derail a fair probe. https://t.co/n4ArcEkgJl
Explaining in details the investigation carried out so far in the case, the Yogi government told the court that the vested interests are attempting to ascribe motive to derail a fair probe. It, therefore, urged the apex court to direct CBI investigation into the case for free and fair investigation and asked SC to monitor the CBI probe into the case.
Series of circumstances leading to Hathras victim’s late-night cremation
The UP govt in the affidavit explained the series of extenuating circumstances that compelled the government to go with the 2.30 am cremation. Firstly, the UP govt had received specific intelligence inputs late at night of September 29 (the day the Hathras victim succumbed to her injuries in Safdarjung hospital in Delhi) that lakhs of protestors of both communities/ castes along with the supporters of some political parties and media will assemble in the morning of September 30 at the village and are likely to turn violent leading to major law and order situation.
Snippet of affidavit submitted by UP Govt
Secondly, there was already a high alert in the district due to the verdict of the Ayodhya- Babri case. And also the government had to ensure that there were no large gatherings in the Covid times in view of the central govt guidelines. It told the apex court that in such extraordinary and severe circumstances the district administration decided to convince the family of the deceased to cremate her with all religious rites at night to avoid large scale violence in the morning.
Hathras victim cremated late night by her father in presence of police
It may be recalled how political parties of all hues and a certain section of the media used the late-night cremation of the Hathras victims as a tool to settle scores with the BJP led government in the state. Opposition parties had attempted to spread canards by alleging that the government was trying to save the accused by doing so. Some media reports also claimed that the cremation took place without the family’s approval. However, the victim’s father accompanied the police to the cremation ground where the rites were performed.
UP government reiterates that Hathras victim’s medical reports have ruled out “rape” angle
Meanwhile, the UP government also reiterated in the SC that the provisional medical report of JJ Medical Hospital Aligarh did not have prima facie findings of rape. The samples were sent to FSL Agra, which gave its final opinion ruling out rape, says the UP Govt affidavit.
#HathrasCase : No signs suggestive of rape, UP Govt tells SC. The provisional medical report of JJ Medical Hospital Aligarh did not have prima facie findings of rape. The samples were sent to FSL Agra, which gave its final opinion ruling out rape, says the UP Govt affidavit. pic.twitter.com/GmeqKwWiHE
Initial media reports mentioned family feud as the reason for crime, rape angle included 8 days later
Pertinently, when the matter was first reported by the Hindi daily Jagran on September 15, the reason was mentioned as a family feud between that of the accused and the victim. Moreover, the report that was published in Jagran had no mention of any sexual assault on the victim. It even identified the victim by name, which is not revealed in case of sex crimes.
A Jagran report published on the 3rd October asserted that a senior Congress leader in Uttar Pradesh met the victim on the 19th of September following which allegation of eve-teasing were added to the list of charges by the victim. The report further stated it was on the 22nd of September, eight days after the incident had occurred, that allegations of rape emerged for the first time and three additional names were added to the list of accused.
The UP state government filed the detailed affidavit hours before the Supreme Court will hear the first PIL over the Hathras case. The Supreme Court will hearing a plea seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a special investigation team (SIT) probe into the Hathras gangrape and murder on Tuesday. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde will hear the petition by a social activist Satyama Dubey and two lawyers Vishal Thakre and Rudra Pratap Yadav alleging failure by the Uttar Pradesh (UP) authorities in dealing with the matter.
On Monday, the West Bengal Crime Investigation Department (CID) has apprehended two people for the brutal murder of BJP leader Manish Shukla near Titagarh police station in Barrackpore area. The murder had taken place on Sunday evening at around 8:30 pm after he stepped into the party office. Reportedly, bike-borne assailants shot Shukla from an extremely close range.
The CID has arrested two accused, namely, Mohammed Khurram and Gulab Shaikh, in connection to the case. While Khurram was arrested earlier in the day, Shaikh was nabbed on the intervening night of October 5 and October 6. The CID officials had interrogated the duo and informed that Mohammed Khurram had ‘personal enmity’ with the deceased BJP leader.
The investigative agency is probing the motive and modus operandi of the duo in the murder of Manish Shukla. The CID has stated that the investigation into the case will lead them to other accused.
Video Credits: ABP Ananda
West Bengal govt hands over case to CID, BJP criticises move
On Monday, the West Bengal government had handed over the case to the Crime Inspection Department (CID) from the Barrackpore Commissionerate. The case was handed over to the CID after the police conducted the post-mortem of the body of the deceased. The state unit of the BJP has criticised the move, insinuating that they do not trust the police working under the TMC government. The BJP’s disapproval comes at the backdrop of several cases wherein the unnatural deaths of BJP workers were dubbed as ‘suicide’ or ‘inconclusive’ by the state police. They have demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter.
BJP demands body of Manish Shukla, cops deny permission
On Monday, BJP leaders and party workers gathered outside the Nil Ratan Sircar (NRS) hospital where the body of the deceased was kept. They had demanded that the corpse be handed over to them. The cops had denied entry of BJP party members into the hospital premises and refused to comply with their demands. At the same time, the police had barricaded several gates of the hospital and were allowing the entry to ambulance and patients.
A Pakistani Ahmadi professor was shot dead by another Muslim professor in the northwest city of Peshawar on Monday. It is alleged that they got into a heated argument over a religious matter. The professor who lost his life has been identified as Dr Naeemuddin Khattak, aka Naeem Khattak. He was attacked by Professor Farooq Maad and another gunman when he was driving to his college.
Today is the Teacher day and on same day Pashtun land received the dead body of their teacher Today in Peshawar Prof: Dr Naeem khattak has been targeted and killed We condemn such barbarism Remember that he is the brother of Adov: Shahab Khattak Shab#StateKilledProfNaeemKhattakpic.twitter.com/Agw929BEjT
Jamaat-i-Ahmadiyya Pakistan spokesperson Saleemuddin said in a statement that Professor Khattak was killed due to his Ahmadi faith. He alleged that Naeem had faced threats and boycott in the past. “Over the past few months, there has been an increase in faith-based attacks on Ahmadis. In Peshawar, an organised hate campaign has been launched against Ahmadis which has resulted in the killing of Ahmadis,” he further added.
The incident
According to the reports, when Dr Naeem was driving his car through Wazir Bagh at 1:30 PM, two men riding motorcycle blocked his path and opened fire. He received five bullet wounds and died on the spot. Bhana Mari police said that they have identified the culprit and trying to arrest him.
Naeem was a faculty member at Government Superior Science College Peshawar. He has left behind a widow, two sons, and three daughters. The murderer has been identified as Professor Farooq Maad, a faculty member in the agriculture department of the same college. Khattak held a PhD in Zoology.
Ahmadis are not considered as Muslims in Pakistan and there have been a long histories of discrimination, hate campaigns and targeted murders against the community.
In 1974, the Parliament of Pakistan declared that Ahmadis are not Muslims. Since then, they have been repeatedly targeted by Muslim extremists. Homes and places of worship of Ahmadis have been attacked several times in the past.
Increase in attacks on Ahmadis
There has been a rise in attacks on Ahmadis in Peshawar, where the incident took place. Peshawar is known for housing a large number of extremists.
On 29th July, an elderly man of the Ahmadi community was shot dead inside Peshawar’s courtroom. Tahir Naseem was attending court for his trial on blasphemy charges. The deceased man, a US citizen, was accused of ‘blasphemy’ two years ago and had been lodged in prison. After the brutal killing in an open courtroom, the murderer was hailed as a ‘hero of Islam’ and was celebrated in Pakistani social media.
On 12th August, an Ahmadi was shot dead in Dabgari Garden in Peshawar.
On 9th September, a mob surrounded a house of Ahmadi family over suspicion that they were preaching their faith in the area. The police had to rescue the family.
