Twenty-two year old Sanjay Kumar’s decaying body was found on August 21, 2018, in the national capital.
Kumar, a Dalit Hindu, fell in love with Rukhsar, a Muslim woman in the neighbouring colony and about a year a half ago the two eloped. They returned home eight months later after Rukhsar, who now went as Rukmini, was pregnant with their first child. Sanjay had taken Rukhsar, who was an adult as well, to their village in Rajasthan where they registered their marriage in court.
Rukhsar, on her own will, started wearing the sindoor and chooda and observing fasts and Hindu traditions. Rukhsar, however, reportedly secretly kept in touch with her mother, Madina, who even sent them gifts on one occasion. However, on their return, Rukhsar’s family insisted Sanjay converts to Islam. When he resisted, Rukhsar’s family got the foetus aborted.
Soon, Sanjay and Rukhsar moved little further from where they stayed. However, things got worse when Rukhsar became pregnant for the second time. This is when her family decided to officially separate the two. Sanjay resisted but Rukhsar was taken away to her maiden home.
Their lives changed forever last year on August 15. Saleem, the key accused, called up Sanjay and asked him to meet him to end the matter once and for all. On August 16, Sanjay left with Saleem on his bike to never return.
When he did not return till late evening, Sanjay’s mother got worried. She went to Saleem’s place who said he did not know where Sanjay was. The Swarajya report says that Sanjay’s family was not as financially well off as Rukhsar’s was. Sanjay’s was a poor household and he did odd jobs to make a living while his mother worked as a maid.
An FIR for a missing person was filed on August 19 and his decaying body was found in the hilly areas nearby on August 21. Swarajya reports that Rukhsar’s family’s only concern was that Sanjay did not agree to convert. One of the neighbours, Sunita, had told Swarajya that Rukhsar’s mother had expressed relief at separating the two because now she had ‘saved her daughter from being cremated’.
A reported by Swarajya details the post-mortem report which gives an insight into the cruelty inflicted upon Sanjay for hours before he breathed his last. Swarajya report mentions,
His rectum was missing, suggesting that an object was inserted into his anus and forcibly pulled out. His penis was not found intact, suggesting it was chopped off. His lungs were missing, suggesting his body was cut open. Eyeballs were missing and eye sockets were lying empty, suggesting that they were gouged out. Many of his teeth were missing. The skin on both the hands and on his right foot were de-gloved, suggesting he was tied up and dragged. Skin was peeled off at some places, including a patch where a tattoo of ‘Om’ were present.
The doctors believe that this could not have been a work of a stray animal after he died since the signs point to the act of a human. The body was badly rotten and had maggots crawling all over it. The Swarajya reporter shared the post-mortem report with OpIndia which revealed further shocking details.
The chest was missing, abdomen flaccid. Remnants of penis and scrotum were present. Mandible (lower jaw bone) was missing. Gnawing effects were present over the bilateral pelvic, scrotum, penis, perineal and anal region.
Sanjay’s mother, Manju, had “lost her senses” and gone into depression after hearing about her son’s murder. It took her several weeks to gather herself.
As Manju waits for justice for her son, they believe the administration has failed them in bringing justice. As reported by Swarajya, the charge sheet, accessed by them, does not include Rukhsar’s name. Even though her statement was crucial it was not recorded. An activist, who is helping the family with getting justice says that the charge sheet includes the accused’s version that they carried out the deed because Sanjay ‘abandoned’ their daughter.
A government job was offered to a family member of Sanjay, but that has reportedly not been fulfilled yet. Fearing for life, threatened, Manju awaits justice even as the accused may soon be out on bail.
Manju, on knowing that her son may have been alive today had he agreed to embrace Islam and converted, says that she would have forced her son to have converted to Islam. “At least his life could have been saved,” says Manju.
And by the way, this incident is not considered ‘hate crime’ (where Sanjay, A Dalit Hindu was murdered by the family of his Muslim wife for not converting to Islam) by self-proclaimed ‘fact-checkers’ who are keeping track of such ‘hate crimes’.
