BHOPAL: A young RSS worker was killed in a clash between two communities over the trivial issue of goat grazing in communally sensitive Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh.
The clash happened between residents of adjoining Hapala and Dipala villages in Khandwa district (260 km from Bhopal) on May 18, in which 10-11 persons from both the sides were injured and hospitalized later.
The injured included 28-year-old RSS worker Ramesh Phoolmali and his sister. While his sister was admitted at a hospital in Khandwa, the RSS worker was referred to Indore with critical head injuries.
After battling for life for 13 days, the RSS worker succumbed to injuries at the hospital in Indore on Sunday. His body was brought to native Khandwa for cremation on Monday. The slain RSS worker’s kin and villagers demanded that all persons involved in the killing be arrested, monetary compensation be given to the bereaved family and one member of the family also be given government job on compassionate grounds.
“As many as 22 persons have been booked in connection with the incident and 19 of them have already been arrested. Efforts are being made to nab the remaining accused. The sub inspector in-charge of the Ramnagar police outpost has been attached to district police lines for laxity in the matter,” the Khandwa district police superintendent Vivek Singh told The New Indian Express.
Local BJP MLAs, include Ram Dangore and Devendra Verma who were present at the spot when the RSS worker’s body was brought from Indore to Khandwa, along with the local administration have assured proper compensation to the bereaved family.
Also, the district and police administration have assured conveying to the higher-ups the demand of government job for one member of the bereaved family.
Meanwhile, a VHP leader Navnit Agrawal has alleged that the RSS worker was not killed in the clash between two groups, but was instead a victim of pre-planned mob lynching by a particular community.
The SP-Khandwa Vivek Singh, however, has reiterated that the clash on May 18 had happened over the issue of grazing of goat and investigations so far have not revealed any possibility of RSS worker having been killed in any kind of mob lynching.