A 20-year-old Hindu youth in Maharashtra’s Jalna District’s Ambad village was reportedly lynched to death by a mob of Islamists following a dispute over swimming in the local well. The incident took place on the evening of March 12 at around 4.30 when the mob gathered to beat the youth with iron rods and wooden sticks. He was admitted to a private hospital in Jalna where he breathed his last the next day around 6 in the evening.

The youth has been identified as Rameshwar Ankush Kharat. Following his death, the villagers launched a protest till 12 in the night outside Ambad police station demanding the immediate arrest of the accused. The police then lodged an FIR (First Information Report) keeping in view the protests by the villagers. The protests were ended only after Superintendent of Police Vinayak Deshmukh, Upper Superintendent of Police Vikrant Deshmukh and Sub-Divisional Police Officer Sunil Patil, Assistant Police Inspector Nitin Patange assured the villagers that action would be taken against those who had murdered the youth.

On March 14, the market in Ambad town was shut in a protest demanding strict action against the accused. The bandh call was given by Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, Traders Federation and Dhangar Samaj who organized a march condemning the incident.

It must be mentioned that BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar has raised this issue in the Maharashtra legislative council. He demanded that the matter be thoroughly investigated while highlighting that the deceased youth was the only son of his parents. He also asked the government to provide some help and relief to the family. He insisted that the government must provide a good lawyer to ensure that the conviction of the accused takes place thereby delivering justice to the deceased youth.

As per available information, Rameshwar had gone for a swim at Fulare’s well located near Swayambhu Mahadev Mandir along with Prasad Kharat at 1 in the afternoon. A fight broke out between the duo and Muslim youths who threatened Rameshwar saying they would kill him if they saw him in the area again. Rameshwar phoned his cousin Ganesh to inform him about the incident.

In the evening when he was headed towards his farm, he was stopped by the mob near Khalil Maulana’s shop as he was passing by Pathan Mohalla. He was abused by the Islamists who asked him why they had quarreled with them.

Rameshwar sustained serious injuries as he was attacked by Shoib and Shafique Sulani using iron rods while Avez Siraj Sheikh, Shohel Shah Mohammad Pathan, Anis Gaffar Sheikh, Wajed Ismail Sheikh, Amir Chand Pathan beat him with wooden sticks on his feet, back and head. The other accused kicked and punched him. Rameshwar was taken to Ambad Seva Hospital by Sunil Diwte and Balu Datta Kharat but was later moved to a private hospital in Jalna.

A case has been registered against 15 people on the basis of the complaint filed by Rameshwar’s cousin Baburao Kharat and further police investigation by Assistant Sub-Inspector Somnath Narke is ongoing. The accused have been identified as Ibrahim Siraj Sheikh, Adnan Sulani Shafiq Sulani, Shoeb Sulani Shafiq Sulani, Azhar Ijaz Ali Sheikh, Faizan Amjad Pathan, Arbaaz Shah Mohammad Pathan, Muradi Mehra Sheikh, Awez Siraj Sheikh, Shohel Shahmohammed Pathan, Anis Ghapfar Sheikh, Wajed Ismail Sheikh, Amir Chand Pathan, Abhay Babasaheb Kharat, Arshad Khurshid Jilani, and Sheikh Nasser Sheikh Ismail.

(Featured Image Source: Pudhari)