About 20 Muslim families have been reportedly forced to leave a village in India's Rajasthan after upper caste Hindus allegedly threatened to kill them.
The families are staying with their relatives under police protection, some 20km from their village Dantal in Jaisalmer, reports Hindustan Times.
It all started with the death of folk musician Amad Khan.
Police said village faith healer Ramesh Suthar broke Khan's musical instruments and assaulted him after the singer 'poorly sung' a particular raga that he was asked to perform.
Suthar and two others allegedly kidnapped Khan the same night from his home and later threw his body outside the house, the singer's younger brother Suge Khan claimed.
The family refrained from filing police complaint after being threatened by Hindu elders, Suge alleged.
They lodged a complaint several days later after their relatives from nearby villages promised to support them. But later, Suthar and upper caste Hindus threatened to kill them Muslims and told them to leave the village, Suge claimed.
Although Dantal's Sarpanch Khet Singh claimed Khan had died of cardiac arrest, police said evidence suggested that the death was caused by physical assault.
Jaisalmer police chief Gaurav Yadav said they were trying to convince the Muslim villagers to return, promising to provide them protection.
Police arrested Suthar on October 4 but two of his accomplices are absconding.
Police said the Muslims have lodged a murder complaint but did not officially accuse anyone of threatening them.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
