KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has announced Rs 3 lakh in compensation and a job for one member of the family of Malda labourer Mohammad Afrajul Khan who was brutally killed in Rajsamand district of Rajasthan.
The prime accused, Shambhu Lal Regar, was arrested on Thursday after a video recording of the murder went viral on social media.
Regar said the murder was a part of his crusade against ‘love jihad’ and warned of similar acts if ‘jihadis don’t leave India’.
Banerjee tweeted on Friday: “Very sad incident happened in Rajasthan. Afrajul Khan of Malda of our state was brutally killed. His family is totally helpless. As a small help to the bereaved family, our government has decided to provide `3 lakh to the family and also one job to the eligible person of the victim’s family. Other help from the government will also be provided. I am sending our team of ministers and MPs to visit the family.”
On Thursday, the Chief Minister had condemned the killing. “How can people be so inhuman? Sad,” she tweeted.
Afrajul’s relatives, who live in Syedpur village in Malda district, demanded that the accused be hanged.
They trashed claims that Afrajul was involved in a love affair with a Hindu woman, alleged to be Regar’s niece.
Several political organisations took out processions in Malda and Kolkata, demanding punishment for the accused.