AISA – CPI (ML) fact finding report on the lynching of a Muslim youth in Ballabgarh
On 22 June, a 15 year old Muslim teenager Junaid who was travelling from Delhi to Ballabgarh in a local train EMU train was lynched by a mob in the train. His brother Shakir was also badly injured. Shakir is currently admitted in the AIIMS trauma centre. A team comprising of Com. Niraj (DU, AISA), Com. Santosh Rai (AICCTU DTC in charge, Delhi), Com. Zeeshan Ahmed (CPI-ML, Delhi unit) along with other activists went to meet Shakir in the hospital. They talked to Shakir there and Shakir shared with them his address and father’s name.
On the morning of 25 June, an AISA-CPI (ML) team went to meet his family at their residence. The team comprised of AISA National Secretary Com. Sandeep Saurav, JNU AISA activist Com. Geeta, CPI (ML) Delhi activist Com. Zeeshan and CPI(ML) Haryana unit activist Com. Anil. This report has been prepared based on their meeting with Junaid’s brother Hashim and their other family members, neighbours and friends.
For the family of Jalalludin, who resides Khandawali village, about 4 kms from Ballabgarh, the period of joy suddenly turned into a period of mourning and grief. The promising boy of their family, Junaid who used to study in a Madrasa- Faiz-e-Subhaniya in Mewat, had come home for Eid. He had finished his study of Quran and the time had come for him to be called a ‘Hafiz’. The festival of Eid was also approaching. The family happily handed over money to their children to buy clothes from the market and got busy in the preparations for Eid. The team met the family.
Junaid’s brother Hashim informed the team:
“I had come to Delhi with my brother Junaid and two friends from our neighbourhood- Moin and Mohsin. We had come to purchase things in preparation for Eid. It takes approximately 45 minutes to come to Delhi from Ballabgarh in train. In the evening, after completing the shopping, all four of us returning home by train. We had boarded the train from Sadar. The crowd in the train was slowly increasing. The four of us sat across each other in the train. After some time, a 70-80 year old man got onto the train and Junaid left his seat for him so that he could sit. Pushing and shoving began in the train from Okhla station.
Around 20-50 people had got in the train together from Okhla. Junaid was standing at this time and suddenly because of all this pushing and shoving he fell down on the floor of the train. Junaid and I requested people to not push. At this, someone from the crowd snatched my cap, threw it on the floor and crushed it with his feet. After this they caught my beard. When we tried to stop them, they started beating us. They started shouting that-they are Muslims, anti-nationals and beef eaters.
After this, the other people training in that coach also almost joined those people. Nobody tried to stop them. They were 10-15 of them and were beating us mercilessly. After the train crossed Tughlakabad station, I called my brothers and informed them and they all came to Ballabgarh station. However, when the train stopped at Ballabgarh, these people did not let us get down. They had together held us four. After this, my elder brother Shakir and some other friends who had come to take us also got onto the train. They started beating them too. As soon as the train started from Ballabgarh, one of them took out a knife. The knife has sharp teeth. He attacked Shakir with this knife. After attacking him with knife they were pushing him around inside only. When Junaid and I went to save him, they attacked me and Junaid with knife too. The next station was Asaoti, about 10 minutes way. But within this time they had killed my brother Junaid”.
When the team was talking to Hashim, he was lying on the bed. He had also suffered knife injuries in several places- on shoulders, legs and feet. Along with Hashim, a relative of theirs’ Asruddin was also present. They expressed hope that the all peace- loving people across the country will raise their voices on this issue. On the eve of Eid on 26 June too they have decided to demand justice for Junaid and keep this issue in the forefront of protests.
Their assaulters must be arrested immediately and punished. They informed the fact-finding team that several organisations and the Nuh Madrasa have decided to read Namaaz wearing black bands in protest. They want that in Delhi and other places- voices be raised, since this matter is about several innocent youth like Junaid who are being murdered by violent lynch mobs and as hatred is being sown in the society and in the country.
See the hindi translation : बल्लभगढ़ मॉब लिन्चिंग पर भाकपा (माले), आइसा जांच टीम की रिपोर्ट
