Ballabhgarh lynching: Here's what CPI (ML)'s fact-finding team found

A Delhi-Mathura passenger train was witness to a horrific incident on the night of 22 June. Between Ballabhgarh and Mathura stations, an altercation took place between three brothers and 10 other passengers over a seat.

“The passengers allegedly passed some remarks on the three brothers, who are Muslims, and residents of Khandawali village in Faridabad,” Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Faridabad Government Railway Police (GRP), Mohinder Singh told PTI.

As the situation heated up, “the passengers thrashed the three brothers badly and attacked them with a knife,” Singh added.

Seventeen-year-old Junaid was stabbed to death while his brothers Hashim (21) and Shakir (23) were badly injured.

One person has been arrested in the case so far. Singh told ANI that three teams have been formed to nab the culprits and that they hoped the attackers would soon be arrested.

However, the accused claimed that he did not stab the victim, but confessed to have been intoxicated during the incident. “It was another person who stabbed the man, not me. Yes, I agree I had consumed alcohol but did not attack the man or taunt him on eating beef as claimed,” the accused said.

Hashim told ANI that the attackers also passed comments on their religion and eating habits. However, the DSP said that no context regarding beef has risen so far.

Ballabhgarh has taken a call to not celebrate Eid and Junaid's family and neighbours have been sitting in protest with black bands on their arms.

While investigations go on, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) have come out with a fact-finding report on the Ballabhgarh lynching.

The report

“On 22 June, a 15-year-old Muslim teenager Junaid who was travelling from Delhi to Ballabhgarh in a local EMU train was lynched to death by a mob on the train. His brother Shakir was also badly injured. Shakir is currently admitted to the AIIMS trauma centre. A team comprising of Comrades Niraj (DU, AISA), Santosh Roy (AICCTU Delhi President), Zeeshan Ahmed (CPI-ML, Delhi) along with other activists went to meet Shakir in the hospital.

On the morning of 25 June, an AISA-CPI (ML) team went to meet his family at their residence. The team comprised of AISA National Secretary Sandeep Saurav, JNU AISA activist Geeta, CPI(ML) Delhi activist Zeeshan and CPI(ML) Haryana unit activist Anil. This report has been prepared based on their meeting with Junaid’s brother Hashim and their other family members, neighbours and friends.

For Junaid’s father Jalalludin and his family, which lives in Khandawali village, about 4 kms from Ballabgarh, a joyful and festive time turned into a period of mourning and grief. Their cheerful and promising boy Junaid who used to study in a Madrasa- Faiz-e-Subhaniya in Mewat, had come home for Eid. He had finished his study of the Quran and the time had come for him to be called a ‘Hafiz’. The festival of Eid was approaching. The family happily gave their children money to buy clothes from the market and got busy in preparations for Eid. Now, Junaid’s mother weeps without cease.

Junaid’s brother Hashim told the team:

“I had come to Delhi with my brother Junaid and two friends from our neighbourhood – Moin and Mohsin. We had come to purchase things in preparation for Eid. It takes approximately 45 minutes to come to Delhi from Ballabhgarh in train. In the evening, after completing the shopping, all four of us were returning home by train. We had boarded the train from Sadar. The train was gradually getting more crowded. The four of us sat across each other in the train. After some time, a 70-80 year-old man got onto the train and Junaid left his seat for him. Pushing and shoving began in the train from Okhla station. Around 20-50 people had got in the train together from Okhla. Junaid was standing at this time and suddenly because of all this pushing and shoving he fell on the floor of the train. Junaid and I requested people to not push. At this, someone from the crowd snatched my cap, threw it on the floor and crushed it with his feet. After this they caught my beard. When we tried to stop them, they started beating us. They started shouting – ‘they are Muslims, anti-nationals and beef eaters.’ After this, the other people in that coach also almost joined our attackers. Nobody tried to stop them. They were 10-15 of them and were beating us mercilessly. After the train crossed Tughlakabad station, I called my brothers and informed them and they all came to Ballabhgarh station. However, when the train stopped at Ballabhgarh, these people did not let us get down. They had together held us four. After this, my elder brother Shakir and some other friends who had come to get us, also got onto the train. Our attackers started beating them too. As soon as the train started from Ballabhgarh, one of them took out a knife – a sharp one. He attacked Shakir with this knife and twisted the knife inside him. When Junaid and I went to save him, they attacked us also with the knife. The next station was Asaoti, about 10 minutes away from Ballabhgarh. But in those ten minutes they had killed my brother Junaid”.

Hashim lay on the bed as he spoke to the team. He had also suffered knife injuries in several places – his shoulders, legs and feet. Along with Hashim, a relative of theirs, Asruddin was also present. They expressed the hope that the all peace-loving people across the country will raise their voices on this issue.

On the eve of Eid on 26 June too they have decided to demand justice for Junaid. Their assaulters must be arrested immediately and punished. They informed the fact-finding team that several organisations and the Nuh Madrasa have decided to read Namaaz wearing black bands in protest. They want that in Delhi and other places, voices be raised, since this matter is about several innocent people like Junaid who are being murdered by violent lynch mobs. Hatred is being sown in the society and in the country.

Report by:

Sandeep Saurav, National General Secretary, AISA

Zeeshan Ahmad, CPI(ML), Delhi

Geeta Kumari, AISA, JNU

Anil, CPI(ML), Haryana