‘Targeted Violence Against Muslims Fuelled By Hate Speeches’: Fact-Finding Report On Gadag Youth Murder Documents Multiple Such Assaults

Demanding an end of political patronage to organisations and individuals committing hate speeches and hate crimes against Muslims, a fact-finding report on the murder of Sameer Shahpur in Karnataka’s Gadag district found that his death was not an isolated incident.

“The last two years have seen a steady rise in hate speeches and the harassment of Muslims, with the intensity peaking since November 2021,”  the report by Bahutva Karnataka stated. “This is a consequence of systematic forms of atomised and targeted violence against Muslims fuelled by hate speeches.”

According to the report, “in all the cases in Naragund, the victims have been young Muslim boys including two school-going boys, belonging to economically backward sections.”

The silence of the governing dispensation in the state gives a tacit sanction and emboldens the rowdy members of the Sangh Parivar, who have complete disregard for the law and the Constitution,” it added, referring to multiple assaults in Karnataka in the past two months. 

It demanded a fair and free investigation into the murder of Sameer and attack on Shamseer, and the previous cases, strong police action against hate speeches, arrest of all offenders and a thorough investigation into the operation of organisations that have facilitated the series of hate speeches and hate crimes.

The report also demanded arrangements for the ‘overall security of Muslims’, amid rising attacks, police protection for victims’ families, and safety in educational institutions for minorities and women.

17 January 2022: Sameer Shahpur Murdered, Shamseer Khan Injured

Sameer Shahpur, a 19-year-old resident of Naragund taluk, Gadag district, was lynched by a mob on January 17, 2022. Around 7:30 PM on January 17, 2022, while he was returning home on a motorcycle with his 20-year-old friend, Shamsher Khan, they were attacked by the mob who were carrying lethal weapons. Despite being stabbed near his chest, Shamsher survived but continues to be in a hospital, dealing with acute mental trauma.

The mob allegedly has allegiance to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bajrang Dal. The police have subsequently arrested four people, including Sanju Nalvade, who is a member of the Bajrang Dal.

November 2021: Azim, Zayed- college students and a relative Assaulted and Abused

In the last week of November, Azim, a youth was assaulted by a mob purportedly belonging to the Bajrang Dal. Subsequently, a group of people including an accused in Sameer’s murder came to Azim’s house where a scuffle ensued and an FIR was filed against Azim.

Within a few days after this, Zayed, a 17-year-old student of Siddheswar Government College and the only Muslim in his class, was taken out of his classroom by a mob of 100-150 people, many of whom belonged to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He was beaten up and abuses were hurled against his Muslim identity.

When Zayed’s uncles came to the college, they were also brutalised by the mob. The Principal failed to take any action against the perpetrators. On the contrary, the mob put knives in Zayed’s bag and accused him of having violent tendencies. 

According to the report, Zayed is back in college now and when asked why he was possibly assaulted randomly, he said “Because I am Muslim.”  However, neither any FIR has been filed for this incident, nor has the college administration or the police taken any steps to strongly condemn this incident.

1 December 2021: Arbaaz, Abu Bakr- School Students Beaten by Mob

On December 1, 2021, another mob of 100 odd people, again supposedly belonging to ABVP, chased a 15-year-old Muslim boy, Arbaaz from a central part of town to Maulana Azad School, of which he is a class 9 student. The mob continued beating up Arbaaz inside the school premises, and also attacked the teachers and a student called Abu Bakr who tried to protect him. An FIR has been filed in the incident and one arrest has been so far. The arrested person belongs to the ABVP. 

6 January 2022: Lodi Galli Violence

Around January 6, 2022, three men, supposedly belonging to the RSS, came to the Lodi Galli area of Naragund and harassed a middle-aged Muslim man called Haneef. On January 14, another gang of men belonging to the RSS came to the same area and picked up a fight with some Muslim elders. As the altercation broke out, around 200 people came to the spot within a few minutes wielding lethal weapons with an intention to create fear among Muslims. There were around 40 men from the Muslim community. The police also came to the spot and arrested four people – all belonging to the Muslim community. However, nobody from the 200 odd mob of the Sangh Parivar was arrested for this, some of whom involved in this incident were later arrested in the murder of Sameer Shahpur. 

Following this, the Sangh Parivar group took out a rally at the police station and shouted slogans saying “India is for Hindus. Muslims have come from Pakistan to beg and to do labour.” Despite flouting COVID protocols and despite incendiary speeches against Muslims, no FIRs were filed against members of the Sangh Parivar for this incident.

17 January 2022: Hate Speech and Calls to Violence by Bajrang Dal Leaders

On January 17, 2022, led by the Bajrang Dal leader, Sanju Nalvade, strong hate speeches against Muslims calling them “terrorists” were made. The speeches mentioned, “we will not spare them.” Another speaker in the rally referred to Muslims as “dogs.” Shouting slogans of “Jai Shree Ram”, the speeches by members of the Sangh Parivar also mentioned that “even the police is being protected by Bajrang Dal.”

Members of the Fact-Finding team included Akash Bhattacharya- Academic / Activist, Mohammed Irshad- Social Activist, Rajendran Narayanan- Academic / Activist. Shabeer Ahmad, Social Activist – Mangalore, Shaik Zakeer Hussain- Journalist, Siddharth Joshi- Researcher.