By Hasan Akram
Members of extremist Hindutva group Ram Sena allegedly killed a 24-year-old Muslim man two days after threatening him with dire consequences for having an affair with a Hindu girl. The incident took place in Belagavi of Karnataka on 28 September.
The body of Arbaz Aftab Mulla was found in a dismembered state on a railway track at Khanapur Railway Station in Belagavi district. His family alleges the miscreants had thrown his body on the railway track after killing him to pass it as a case of suicide.
Sameer Parshwadi, Arbaz’s cousin told Muslim Mirror that Ram Sena members had been threatening him over his affair with a Hindu girl for many days. On 26 September, Arbaz and his mother Najeema Aftab Mulla had a meeting with Ram Sena leaders.
At the meeting, it was decided that Arbaz will delete the girl’s photo and break the SIM card he used to talk to her. ”They also demanded some money, Rs 7000 or 17,000, but Arbaz and his mother came out from among them by saying that they don’t have cash and will send it via PhonePe after reaching home,” Sameer said.
On 28 September, Arbaz again got a call from the same people. They asked him to come to Khanapur area. Her mother advised him against going to the place but neglecting her suggestion, Arbaz went there but never returned.
Warning #GraphicVisuals: Arbaaz, a #Muslim boy brutally murdered in #Karnataka #belagavi's Khanapur taluk over alleged love affair with a #Hindu girl. Body found beheaded on the railway track. Railway police is investigating the matter. pic.twitter.com/7LDuNsMs7p
— Imran Khan (@KeypadGuerilla) October 2, 2021
The police informed the family that his body has been found on the railway track. They called it a case of suicide.
“But we saw his hands were tied with a rope. There were injury marks around his head. So, we came to the conclusion that they have thrown his body on the railway track after killing him to pass it as a case of suicide,” Sameer told Muslim Mirror.
An FIR has been registered at Railway Police Station, Belagavi. The police are investigating the case. No arrest has been made in the case so far.
Some local organisations have expressed their anger and exerting pressure on the police to ensure justice in the case. Tipu Sultan Sangharsh Samiti, a group of Muslim activists in the region, along with some locals have given a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner in connection with the incident.