A CPIML fact-finding team met and spoke with the victim of the hate crime perpetrated in Satsangnagar (Sherghati) on 13 April 2022. They spoke with Mohd Naseem Shah and his family members at his home in Lodishaheed Maulviganj mohalla in Sherghati city to gather details of the incident.
The victim Naseem Shah told to the team: At 7 pm in the evening of Wednesday 13 April 6 people sat as passengers in my e-rickshaw near the Kali Mandir and asked me to take them to the Satsangnagar More. On the way they asked me my name and mohalla. When we reached there, they asked me to drive a little further. On going further I saw that 10-15 people were already present there. Fearing something untoward I asked them to alight, and started driving back without collecting fare from them. But before I could do so they started attacking me with lathis and sticks, while ordering me to say Jai Shri Ram and exhorting each other to "beat the Mullah". During the beating I lost consciousness and the attackers fled, believing me to be dead. On regaining consciousness I somehow managed to reach home where my people treated me and we filed a report in the Thana. Later at night some people went to the spot and brought back the badly damaged e-rickshaw.
The CPIML team got the information that none of the accused has been arrested so far in this matter. The accused are openly roaming free, whereas the victim's side has given information to the police about some of the guilty persons.
CPIML Bihar State Committee members Rita Barnawal and Tariq Anwar said that this is clearly a matter of hate crime, as is evident from the fact that they asked the victim's name and address and then forced him to chant Jai Shri Ram. Naseem Shah was targeted in a well-planned way for his religion and religious identity. We demand that the police arrest the guilty persons without delay, otherwise CPIML will be forced to organize agitations.
The CPIML team went to Sherghati Thana but in the absence of the Thana-in charge could only speak to him on the phone. He told them that a case has been filed against unknown persons and the police are trying to identify them. The victim's side has also submitted an application to the police identifying 4 of the guilty persons with their photographs attached.
The fact-finding team comprised State Committee members Rita Barnawal and Tariq Anwar, Insaf Manch leader Aamir Tufail Khan, AISA leader Sonu Kushwaha, Dobhi-Sherghati party Secretary Ramlakhan Prasad and Sanjay Mandal.
