The Maharashtra State Minorities Commission has asked the Superintendent of Police, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, to submit a preliminary investigation report into the death of a youth in a communal clash in Khandala village, Vaijapur taluka, on Thursday, in three days.
Wasim Khwajabhai Burhan, commission member, in his letter to the local police on Saturday, said that the investigation into the matter should be completed immediately and transparently to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
One person was killed and three were injured after youths attacked another group allegedly over social media posts. Following the death, tensions flared in Khandala and Vaijapur. A shop was set on fire, the sub-district hospital vandalised, and the house of the alleged attackers was damaged.
The situation in the taluka headquarters on Friday was tense as residents and family members of the deceased, identified as Moin Shah, 24, gathered at the sub-district hospital and refused to allow an autopsy or take possession of the body until all the accused were arrested. The post-mortem was performed after the intervention of the former Member of Parliament from the area, Imtiaz Jaleel. The local police filed a case against seven men, including some unidentified suspects. Five people have been arrested so far.
The Maharashtra State Minorities Commission said the organisation is taking this matter seriously. The frequent attacks on the minority community are a matter of concern, and immediate and effective steps need to be taken in this regard, the commission said. The commission has recommended that the accused should be charged under section 101 for intentional murder, section 111 for causing grievous hurt and death, section 73 for conspiracy, section 194(2) for promoting religious/racial hatred, section 196 for creating discord and instability in communities, and section 308 for violence between two groups, all sections if the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
The commission said that since the above are serious crimes, any negligence or delay will not be tolerated. It added that the matter is being monitored for further legal and administrative action. Some groups have blamed Hindu rightwing organisations for the death. The All India Panther Sena said it was a case of mob lynching. Such killings before local body elections could push Maharashtra to the brink of riots, the group said.
