A 25-year-old man named Rinku Sharma from New Delhi was brutally murdered by a Muslim mob of around 25-30 people in front of his family at his home in Mangolpuri area of National Capital.
Rinku Sharma was a frontline health care worker and worked as a lab technician in a hospital in Paschim Vihar.
He was also actively involved with the Hindu outfit and was a part of the donation drive being carried out by Bajrang Dal for contributing towards the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
The young activist was survived by his mother Radha Devi, father Ajay Sharma and brothers Ankit and Manu Sharma.
It is being reported that the incident was a fallout of an argument between the Bajrang Dal activist and the assailants over the construction and the money the Hindu outfit was collecting for the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
According to the relatives of the deceased, an awareness rally was organized in the area, last month, regarding the construction of Ayodhya’s Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple. During this rally, the assailants had got into a dispute with Rinku Sharma, who had been collecting funds for the construction of Ram Mandir. Later, the dispute was resolved after some people of the area intervened.
The police booked the suspects under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons) along with various sections of the Arms Act.
They have arrested the five assailants, who entered Rinku’s house late on Wednesday night and killed him in cold blood. The arrested assailants have been identified as Mohammad Islam, Danish Nasruddin, Dilshan, Dilshad Islam and Zahid.
STATEMENTS:
Brother Manu: Speaking to the media after Rinku’s death, shows him saying that the Muslim group had been after the family ever since a spat broke out over a recent rally for Ram temple.
Mother: Speaking to Sudarshan news channel shows her saying that her son died over “Jai Shri Ram” slogan. “Jai Shri Ram ke chakkar mein maara gaya mera baccha,” she is seen telling the channel, adding that the Muslim family would object to Jai Shri Ram slogans raised outside their house.
Father Ajay Sharma: Shows him telling the channel that his son died for being a Modi supporter and a Ram bhakta.
Spokesperson of the Delhi Police: We are investigating “all angles” related to the brutal murder of Bajrang Dal activist Rinku Sharma. The family of the activist had alleged that he was murdered in connection with the donation drive for the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya he was participating in.
All the statements of family/friends/neighbours talk of no birthday party or a related scuffle. The police however have told the media that the attack happened after a spat over a birthday party in the afternoon of 10 February.
Watch how media shielded the Assailants:
The Times of India has quoted an unnamed “senior police officer” as saying that “a scuffle had ensued during a birthday party that was attended by both the accused and the victim”.
NDTV too has quoted an unnamed police officer to say that “so far, during the investigation, it has surfaced that the quarrel started during a birthday party over shutting down of a restaurant”.
\Hindustan Times too has quoted an unnamed police officer to say that “the murder took place around 11 pm after Danish and Rinku had an argument at a birthday party in their neighbourhood where they both had been invited”.
