RSS worker Rajesh Phoolmali (26) who was seriously injured in an attack by a Muslim mob on 18 May passed away in an Indore hospital on Sunday, reports ekatamabharat.com.

As soon as news spread of his body being brought back on Monday to his village Deepla in Khandwa district, many villagers gathered at his house. They complained about police carelessness and said that if police had taken timely action, Rajesh might be alive today.

Addressing a press conference, representatives from VHP and Hindu Jagran Manch said that the whole matter is linked to an objectionable Facebook post against which Rajesh and few others had lodged a police complaint in Ramnagar police chowki. But police did not take the matter seriously and only lodged an offence under IPC 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant). The accused got emboldened and they lynched Rajesh to death.

Police later arrested 17 Muslim residents of Deepla village – Sarfaraz, Salman, Shabir, Arman, Shakir, Asif, Abdul, Ameen, Barkat, Wahid (s/o Rehman), Wahid (s/o Gullu), Sonu (s/0 Yaseem), Salman (s/o Yaqub), Sadik, Irshad, Parvez, Ysusuf – and 7 others for the murderous attack on Rajesh and his family. 15 of them have been arrested.

Locals have also demanded action against Police SI P.C Shinde of Ramnagar Chowki for handling the initial matter carelessly and ultimately contributing to Rajesh’s death.

The entire village has turned into a police camp due to prevailing tensions. Rajesh’s body was brought back via a rural route from Indore to avoid any untoward incident in Khandwa city.

Patrika.com reports that the clash on 18 May in which Rajesh was injured was over an ‘old dispute’, and 8 others were injured too. It says police had taken action action against ‘both parties’ and lodged a case against 17 named and other accused.

Villagers did not allow Rajesh’s body to be taken for cremation until police and government officials assured them of strict action against the accused and a government job for a family member. Rajesh’s father Ramesh Phoolmali said that they had told police about the volatile situation in the village well in advance, but no action was taken. My son was surrounded and murdered.

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