Was Zafar Khan lynched or he died of heart attack? Where is the complete video?
The cause of the death of Zafar Khan, who was thrashed by Pratapgarh civic officials after he objected to their clicking photos of women defecating in the open, is yet to be ascertained.
In Short
- At least four accused - including Commissioner of Nagar Parishad Ashok Jain - named in the FIR.
- The FIR was filed by Zafar Khan's brother Noor Mohammed.
- Investigation into Zafar Khan's death is on, justice shall prevail, said Rajasthan CM Raje.
Was CPI(ML) member Zafar Khan lynched to death allegedly by Rajasthan government officials when he tried to stop them from photographing women defecating in the open? Or did he die of heart attack, as claimed by the post-mortem done by the state government?
Khan's family members and other eyewitnesses have claimed that he was brutally assaulted by Pratapgarh civic officials after he objected to them clicking the pictures of women. In retaliation, municipality employees allegedly kicked, punched and beat Khan with a stick, leading to his death.
At least four accused - including Commissioner of Nagar Parishad Ashok Jain - have been named in the FIR filed by Khan's brother Noor Mohammed.
On the other hand, a tweet by Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje two days later on the morning of June 18 turned Khan's death into a mystery. "The demise of Zafar Khan ji in Pratapgarh is extremely unfortunate. Investigation is on - justice shall prevail," she posted.
RAJE'S CONTROVERSIAL TWEET OVER KHAN's DEATH
In her controversial tweet, Raje also included a link to another tweet by Udaipur Police which said that there was no "scientific evidence" to suggest murder in the case. The post-mortem later said Khan died of heart attack, a report rejected by his family and CPI(ML) leaders.
The final cause of Khan's death will be known only after the Forensic Science Laboratory results and reports of the viscera arrive.
So how did Khan die? The answer lies in at least two videos shot on mobile cameras by Khan's family members, the Pratapgarh municipal officials, and other witnesses present at the spot on June 16 when the 55-year-old was allegedly attacked.
A 13-second excerpt from one of the videos, also available with India Today, shows Zafar arguing with the civic body officials. A number of women and Khan's family members also seem to be present at the spot. But that video stops before any alleged assault on Khan.
There must be a complete video, either with Khan's family or the Pratapgarh civic officials, of the alleged lynching that came close on the heels of the attack on Pehlu Khan in Rajasthan's Alwar district two months ago.
FULL VIDEO CRUCIAL TO ESTABLISH TRUTH
The question is: why isn't anybody coming out with a full video of the incident to establish whether Khan was lynched to death or he died of natural causes?
Apart from establishing the truth behind the case, a complete account of what happened on June 16 is also crucial since it is a part of a larger narrative of public lynchings now becoming a norm in Rajasthan and elsewhere.
An open letter addressed to Chief Minister Raje by leading social activist Aruna Roy and others says: "...this incident of lynching to death is a part of a whole series that started with Dangawaas, Nagaur on the 14th of May, 2015, when six dalits were brutally attacked and killed by the dominant caste people over a land dispute."
The activists then list at least five such deaths in Rajasthan - Pehlu Khan's being the last - and demand action against the accused, including the state government officials.
A closure on how Zafar Khan died on June 16 will help us understand whether there is indeed a culture of public lynching prevalent in Rajasthan, where even government officials have now joined the vigilante and illegal groups.
Also read | Zafar Khan lynching: Civil rights activists in Rajasthan demand justice
Also read | Exclusive: India Today accesses video of Zafar Khan moments before he was lynched
Also read | Raje tweets on Zafar Khan's 'demise', faces flak for condoning lynching