In a shocking incident, a Hindu doctor was brutally murdered in Pakistan on the eve of Holi, the festival of colors. Dr. Dharamdev Rathee, a well-known dermatologist, was allegedly killed by his own driver, Muhammad Hanif Leghari and his cook in citizen colony Hyderabad, Sindh.
Reports suggest that Rathee had returned home with his driver, Hanif Laghari, and had a heated argument that night. The argument escalated quickly, and the accused slit the doctor’s throat with a sharp weapon. The perpetrators fled the scene immediately after the crime with the victim’s car, leaving Dr. Rathee’s body lying in a pool of blood.
The incident has sent shockwaves across the country and has been condemned by people from all walks of life. Many people have taken to social media to express their outrage over the brutal murder of a doctor who was known for his dedication and commitment to his profession.
The local police launched an investigation into the case and managed to track down and arrest the accused Hanif Leghari from his hometown of Khairpur a day later, using his cellphone record. SSP Hyderabad Amjad Ali Sheikh spoke to the media, stating that the police have launched an inquiry to unveil the motive behind the murder. The police have also seized the murder weapon.
The murder of Dr. Rathee has once again highlighted the plight of the minority communities in Pakistan. Despite the constitutional guarantees of equal rights and protection to all citizens, members of minority communities often face discrimination and violence.
The murder of Dr. Rathee is a tragic and senseless act of violence that has shaken the already beleaguered minority community in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. It is imperative that the perpetrators of this crime are brought to justice and that steps are taken to ensure the safety and security of all citizens, especially members of minority communities and healthcare professionals.
Hindu doctors, despite serving all sections of Pakistani society, are often targeted by extremists – just a few days back, one Dr. Daulat Ram was brutally assaulted in Thatta district of Sindh. In January, Dr. Harchand and his brother were attacked in Mirpur Khas. In June last year, Dr. Chetan Kumar was attacked and his clinic vandalized.
In 2020, Dr. Lal Chand Bagari of Tando Allahyar, Sindh was murdered by slitting his throat. In 2019, veterinarian doctor Ramesh Kumar was targeted by Islamists in Mirpur Khas over a trumped up blasphemy charge.
In 2016, Dr. Pritam Das Lakhwani was murdered while seeing patients in his clinic named ‘BISMILLAH CLINIC’ located in Karachi, Sindh. In 2011, 3 Pakistani Hindu doctors – Ashok Kumar, Naresh Kumar and Ajeet Kumar – were gunned down in Chak town, Sindh province on Eid-ul-Adha because one of them had demanded a fee for treating an influential local Muslim.
