Muslim workers allege abduction and torture over unpaid wages in India
Victims say attackers forced Hindu slogans, threatened to kill Muslims and beat them through night after dispute over payment at Rajasthan mine
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Three Muslim laborers have alleged they were abducted, held captive overnight and brutally beaten by a group of men in India’s Rajasthan state after demanding payment for repair work at a mining site, in an attack the victims say was accompanied by anti-Muslim slurs and forced religious slogans.
Police registered a criminal case after the incident, which allegedly took place in Beawar district earlier this week, and have begun an investigation. According to advocate Rahmat Kathat, who is representing the victims, two or three suspects have been arrested while the principal accused remains at large.
According to the police complaint, 40-year-old Sajid Khan, his brother Junaid and nephew Sahil had traveled to a mine in Jhutha village on June 28 to repair machinery. After completing the work at around 1 a.m., they asked the mine owner for their wages but were allegedly told to wait until morning.
As the three men prepared to leave, Sajid alleged that mine owner Mukesh Mali arrived with four or five others in a sport utility vehicle.
The complaint says the group assaulted the workers, forced them into the vehicle and took them to an office, where they were tied up with ropes and held against their will throughout the night.
The victims allege the assault took on a communal character. In his complaint, Sajid said the attackers declared, “We are Hindus, we will kill you Muslims,” before forcing the three men to chant “Jai Shri Ram,” a Hindu religious slogan that rights groups say has increasingly been used by Hindu extremist groups during attacks and intimidation targeting Muslims in India.
Sajid said the victims complied out of fear, but the attackers allegedly continued beating them with iron pipes, shovel handles and wooden sticks while threatening them with a firearm.
The complaint states that Junaid suffered serious head injuries after his hair was pulled, while all three sustained multiple injuries during the hours-long assault. The victims also alleged that their mobile phones were seized and damaged.
Police registered the case under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, India’s criminal code, and assigned the investigation to a senior officer.
However, members of the local Muslim community have accused police of failing to adequately recognize the alleged religious motive behind the attack.
In a memorandum submitted to the district police chief, they demanded additional charges, including provisions related to the alleged use of a firearm, and called for the immediate arrest of all remaining suspects.
The community also sought fresh medical examinations for Junaid and Sahil, who are receiving treatment at a local hospital, alleging the initial medical assessment failed to fully document their injuries, including injuries to their private parts. They further called for action against any police officers found to have been negligent in handling the case.
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
