Salman Khan, Altaf Khan, Raqib Khan, and Irfan Khan insulted a driver belonging to the ST (Scheduled Tribe) Vanvasi community during a demonstration protest for their demands. The ST driver was garlanded with shoes by the Islamists. The incident took place in Madhya Pradesh’s (MP) Seoni District.
The Ari police have successfully apprehended all four criminals involved in the disgraceful incident, prompting the initiation of a legal case against them after the video gained widespread attention. However, Navbharat Times and Dalit Times chose to conceal the identities of the wrongdoers, framing the event as an offence against ‘Dalits’ perpetrated by ‘non-Dalits’ and attributing blame to nationalists.
Following these developments, a nationwide chakka jam unfolded, with truck drivers staging a collective strike lasting around three days. This protest effectively brought transportation to a halt in various states. The drivers were not only opposing the severe penalties outlined in the recently adopted Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita for offences such as hit and run. Still, it was also rallying against these stringent measures.
Amid the Ari bus stand in the Seoni district, the four criminals subjected a tribal youth driver to a degrading act, garlanding him with shoes and inflicting humiliation. Shamelessly, they recorded a video of the incident, openly laughing as they carried out this reprehensible act. The victimized tribal youth driver is a resident of the Bramhodi area and falls within the jurisdiction of the Barghat police station. Engaged in transporting goods in his truck, he was intercepted by the protesting drivers at Ari Chowk, just outside the Ari bus stand. The perpetrators adorned him with a string of shoe beads, capturing the entire incident on video, which they circulated widely.
Upon the widespread circulation of the video, the Ari police swiftly responded, taking immediate action to apprehend the accused. Managing to escape from the perpetrators, the tribal youth driver reached the police directly to report the incident. The police and the station in-charge acted promptly, capturing the accused individuals. Subsequently, in the course of these actions, the suspects were brought before the SDM (Sub-Divisional Magistrate) and subsequently incarcerated.
Salman Khan (son of Ibrahim Khan, age 24), Altaf Khan (son of Abdul Khan, age 40), Raqib Khan (son of Idrish Khan, age 55), and Irfan Khan (son of Iqbal Khan, age 28) were booked under sections 341, 294, 323, 355, 506, and 34 of the IPC and sections 3(1)(d),3(2)(VA),3(1)(D),3(1)(E) of the SC/ST Act.
Nevertheless, the Navbharat Times covered the incident without disclosing the identities of the accused, framing it as an act of non-Dalits insulting Dalits. The report also raised questions about nationalists celebrating the success of Chandrayaan out of context. Similarly, the Dalit Times’ X handle propagated a narrative, stating, “Madhya Pradesh: In Seoni, casteists adorned a Dalit truck driver with shoes and subjected him to caste-based abuses.” This perfectly highlights the anti-Hindu bias of Indian media.
(Featured Image Source: OpIndia)
