The Madhya Pradesh Police on Thursday said it has arrested five persons for allegedly killing Ibraish Khan during the communal clashes in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone city on April 10, The New Indian Express reported.
Khan, who was initially reported missing, is the lone casualty so far in the communal violence which had left 24 people injured, including a police official.
“The arrested men, who have confessed to the crime, have also been identified by the eyewitnesses to the crime,” said Rohit Kashwani, superintendent of police. “The arrested men have told the police about committing the crime out of religious frenzy.”
Kashwani said that the accused persons were residents of the Anand Nagar-Rahimpura area, a communally sensitive locality. They have been identified as Dilip, Sandeep, Ajay Karma, Ajay Solanki and Dipak Pradhan.
Kashwani said that Khan died due to serious injuries to his head caused by stones.
A first information report was registered on April 14 under India Penal Code sections about murder and acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention at Khargone’s Kotwali police station. On the same day, Khan’s family had also filed a missing person’s complaint.
The victim’s brother, Ikhlaq Khan, had said that the police did not disclose Ibraish’s whereabouts even after the family had filed a complaint. He also alleged that his brother was seen in police custody on April 12.
The police informed the family about Ibraish Khan’s death and the whereabouts of his body only after Ikhlaq Khan had allegedly threatened to inform the media.
The communal violence
On April 10, some people had allegedly hurled stones at a Ram Navami procession, objecting to loud and provocative music being played in the Talab Chowk area of Khargone. Subsequently, clashes broke out in the Gaushala Marg, Tabadi Chowk, Sanjay Nagar and Motipura areas.
At least 24 people, including Khargone Superintendent of Police Siddharth Choudhary, were injured in the violence. Ten houses were also burnt during the clashes.
On April 11, the Madhya Pradesh government demolished homes and shops belonging to Muslims in Khargone. Deputy Inspector General of Police Khargone Range, Tilak Singh, claimed that the homes that were demolished belonged to those who had thrown stones during the procession.
On April 12, the state government set up a two-member claims tribunal to assess the damage caused by the communal violence.
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