A 20-year-old Muslim man was beaten to death allegedly by a group of people in Jaipur’s Gangapol area on Friday night following which a large mob from the two communities gathered on Ramganj-Badi Chaupar road, sparking communal tension in the city, said police.
Confirming the incident, Jaipur police commissioner Biju George Joseph said, “15 people were detained for their alleged involvement in the murder of the man. Further investigation is underway.”
Police have identified the deceased man as Iqbal Maziz of Ramganj. Police said the incident took place when Maziz was returning from Jaisinghpura Khor on a two-wheeler, which collided with another near the Gangapol area, leading to a scuffle.
“Meanwhile, a man identified as Mohan Lal along with the other locals present intervened to pacify them. But Iqbal allegedly got into a brawl with Mohan Lal,” said Manak Chowk Circle Officer Hemant Jakhar while speaking to the newspersons.
The locals then called others from the vicinity and all of them attacked Maziz with rods and sticks, said Jakhar.
Upon receiving the information, the local police from Subhash Chowk police station reached the spot and recovered Maziz in an unconscious condition lying on the road and took him to Sawai Man Singh Hospital, where he was declared dead, said the Circle Officer.
Subhash Chowk police station in-charge Ashok Singh said that a case has been filed against 20 unknown people based on the complaint filed by the family of the deceased Muslim man.
They have been charged under sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 148 (rioting), 302 (murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 341 (wrongful restraint) of the Indian penal code, said Singh, adding police have started searching for the accused persons. “We have also detained a few for interrogation,” he said.
Meanwhile, following the death of the Muslim man, a large mob reached the hospital and started a dharna demanding the immediate arrest of the accused.
On Saturday morning, a large mob again gathered in a busy market area near the Ramganj-Manak Chowk road, they also vandalised many shops in the area, said police, following which the market and the local schools were closed immediately.
A heavy police force, including the Rajasthan Armed Constabulary (RAC), an emergency response team (ERT), and a special task force (SRT)
has been deployed in the areas – Ramganj, Subhash Chowk, and Manak Chowk as the tension flared, said officials familiar with the matter.
Jaipur additional police commissioners Kunwar Rashtradeep and Rahul Prakash, and deputy police commissioner Rashi Dogra Dudi also reached the spot and barricaded the traffic on Manak Chowk-Badi Chaupar road.
The ACPs later deployed an additional force of the Rajasthan Armed Constabulary (RAC), an emergency response team (ERT), and a special task force (SRT).
“A sufficient amount of police force was deployed in the area along with senior officials and the city police commissioner. Police are also monitoring the situation with drones. Necessary action will be taken against the accused,” Rajasthan director general of police Umesh Mishra said.
Meanwhile, two of the local MLAs of Kishanpole and Adarsh Nagar constituencies – Ameen Kagzi and Rafeek Khan – met with chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday morning to discuss the tense situation in the capital city.
Khan said that CM Gehlot has declared a compensation of Rs.50 lakh to the family of the victim and a job in a dairy booth to one of the family members.
“CM also appealed to the public to maintain peace in the area. Police are putting their best effort to avert any unwanted situation. Necessary action will also be taken against the accused to ensure justice for the victim,” Khan told reporters.
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