As the World Day of Social Justice is being observed worldwide today, the plight of minorities in India remains unchanged, as they continue to face relentless persecution.  In a shocking incident coinciding with the day, a 40-year-old man, Sajid, was burned alive after he refused to withdraw a case against a former village head accused of gang-raping and abducting his wife in Uttar Pradesh. This incident highlights the deep-rooted injustice and lawlessness faced by marginalized communities in India. 

The charred body of Sajid was found in the fields on Tuesday, two days before the court was set to hear the case. The deceased was burnt alive after pouring diesel. He had been called and assaulted allegedly by the henchmen Bhola Yadav and his associates in Mainpuri district.  Ashiq Ali, father of Sajid, blamed Yadav for the brutal murder citing the gang-rape and abduction case against the former village head. 

“What should I desire now? I want to die. My son has been killed. What will I do by remaining alive,” said Ashiq while wailing in front of the reporters.  Bhola Yadav called Sajid to meet in a nearby field, where he was beaten and burnt to death by Bhola.  “My son’s body was burnt so that his identity could not be ascertained. A case regarding the gang rape of his wife is already in court.

The accused men were pressurising us to settle outside court. The former village head also offered money to withdraw the case, but we refused,” he added.  Talking about the rape incident, Sajid’s wife said she was raped in June 2022 after calling her at his house on the pretext of cooking a meal. “The village head had called me to his place on the pretext of cooking a meal and raped me along with his two associates. It was in June 2022.

The next day, when I was going to the police station to file a complaint, he kidnapped me and kept me captive at his house for four months and 10 days. We filed a case against him is in the local court. He was pressuring my husband to settle, but we refused. He has also been threatening to kill my brother,” she said. She was let off by the abductors after repeated pleading from her husband and family. Ashiq said that he had complained- with the local police about the abduction but no one paid attention to his complain. Then, he came to the city police with his complaint. Then, his daughter-in law was freed.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)