Two Muslim youth Sameer (19) and Shamseer (21) from Nargund in Karnataka’s Gadag district were brutally attacked by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) members on Monday evening. 19-year-old Sameer succumbed to injuries on Tuesday morning at a hospital in Hubli. Shamseer is still in critical condition.
In a written statement, the Nargund police said the attack was motivated by “hatred towards the Muslim community”. Four persons have been arrested so far- Mallikarjuna, Channabasappa, Sakrappa and Sanju Nalvade.
Sanju Nalvade is a Bajrang Dal leader and the former RSS secretary of Nargund.
Sameer’s brother Zubair told The Cognate that the RSS men stabbed Sameer’s chest with a knife and attacked Shamseer with a deadly weapon.
Seeking stern action against those complicit in the murder, Sameer’s aunt told reporters: “If such people are let free, they will harm others. How will we be able to go outside and go about our lives if they are let free?”
On January 18, thousands turned up for the Janaza (prayer for a deceased) and burial of Sameer in Nargund.
A CCTV footage showed the men who were waiting at Naragunda State Bank near Sangarwara, stopping the bike of Sameer and Shamseer and attacking them with deadly weapons. Sameer’s brother Zubair said he went to the location after he was unable to reach Sameer over the call. He later took them to the hospital. This is said to be the video footage of the Incident.
What were police doing???
3/3 pic.twitter.com/BwGWWl2f4K— Undefeated_Faith (@Shaad_Bajpe) January 18, 2022
Sameer works at a restaurant and was returning home with his friend Shamsheer, a photographer who works at a nearby studio.
Locals say that this deadly attack against Muslim men happened soon after a gathering organised by Bajrang Dal on Monday in Naragund where slogans were raised against Muslims.
Videos showed Naragund Taluk’s former secretary Sanju Nalvade instigating violence against the Muslim community in the presence of police officers.
“The Sangh Parivar orchestrated a mass rally for about 2 km from the city inciting hate slogans and Islamophobic phrases. The Hindutva leaders delivered communal provocative speeches within the premises of the police station. The Sangh Parivar has been constantly trying to spread communal hatred in Naragunda and to stir up goodwill,” the Popular Front of India (PFI) General Secretary Nasir Pasha said in a press release.
