By Mariyam Usmani, TwoCircles.net
Ranchi: Sheikh Tajuddin, a local trader from the Saraikela Kharsawan district of Jharkhand, had never imagined that his Muslim appearance and “dadhi (beard) – topi (skull cap) would make him a target for mob violence. On the morning of December 8, the resident of Kapali, Ghousnagar, was allegedly attacked by a group of assailants with rods and batons in Sapara village.
“My abbu (father) often visited Sapara; it’s only six-seven kilometers from our home. Engaged in vegetable and cattle trading, he used to travel between villages,” Tabrez, the deceased’s son, told TwoCircles.net.
Around 10:00 a.m. on December 8, the family received a call informing them of an accident. However, when they arrived at the hospital, they discovered the tragic truth. Tajuddin had not regained consciousness. His three married daughters stayed by his side, tending to him in his final days. During the intense situation, they did not think to address the legal aspects of the case.
Villagers claimed that the attackers accused Tajuddin of animal theft. He was allegedly beaten up black and blue. Once his blood began to flow from his wounds, the mob allegedly dispersed. The 50-year-old was initially taken to Tata Memorial Hospital before being transferred to RIMS in Ranchi, where he succumbed to his injuries on December 13.
‘Political Pressure’
“My abba was a devout Muslim, who offered prayers five times a day and often called the azan (Islamic call to prayer) as the mosque was nearby. He was accused of theft, but he was not that kind of person,” Tabrez said, with his voice choking tears rolling down on his face after his father’s ‘Namaz-e-Janaza’ (funeral prayer) on December 14. The 24-year-old was too overwhelmed with grief to give further details about the situation.
Tajuddin’s nephew, Arshad Ansari, described his uncle as a “noble man” who was easily recognisable as a Muslim. “There was no reason to attack him. He had longstanding ties to the area, and the attackers targeted him in a less crowded location,” he said.
This story was originally published in twocircles.net. Read the full story here.