CAA-NRC: Youth Killed During Protest, Family Upset Over Political Leaders’ Apathy

Patna: While protests against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act continue to rage across the country, the family of 18-year-old Amir Hanzla, who was brutally stabbed to death during the anti-CAA protests in Patna’s Phulwari Sharif on December 21, have been left in the lurch by politicians. The incident had occurred during the statewide shutdown called by the Rashtriya Janata Dal.

So far, no leaders of the so-called secular political parties including RJD, Congress, Janata Dal United, Lok Janshakti Party have visited the victim’s family for solace and comfort. The victim’s family is also disappointed over their apathy. Amir, who was allegedly attacked by a group of youths belonging to the Right wing Bajrang Dal, is the first reported casualty in Bihar during the ongoing protests against CAA-NRC. Minutes before he was killed by Bajrang Dal activists and supporters in Sangat Gali (a bylane) near Tam Tam Padao in Phulwari Sharif, Aamir was seen carrying the national flag in his hands.

Police have arrested six of the twelve accused, but the main accused, Vinod, is still absconding. Raids are being conducted to arrest him, Phulwari Sharif police station officer in-charge said. The accused arrested in the case reportedly members of Bajrang Dal and known bootleggers. They have been arrested and jailed in the past.

Police have also recovered one pistol and five live cartridges from Chaitu Kumar, one of the accused arrested in this case. Meanwhile, another arrested accused, Deepak Kumar, has admitted to killing Amir.

While none of the Opposition leaders or those from the ruling alliance have visited the victim’s family, leaders from Left parties including Communist Party of India (Marxist Leninist) and Communist Party of India have met the victim’s family at their in Patna’s Harun Nagar.

The victim’s family resides at a distance of just 2.5 km from the official residence of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, former chief ministers Jitan Ram Manjhi and Rabri Devi.

“No leader from opposition RJD, Congress and ruling JD-U,LJP had visited us. Only some leaders of Left parties,activists came to meet us.”Amir’s grief-stricken father, Sohail Ahmad said.

Sohail expressed his dismay over the fact that Tejashwi or any other senior leaders of his party failed to even make a call to his family after Amir’s body was recovered on early Tuesday morning from a small pond surrounded by bushes close to the Phulwari Sharif Block and DSP offices.

“My son was killed while protesting during RJD’s shutdown, supported by all opposition parties against CAA and NRC. He sacrificed his life to save the constitution and secular idea of India,” he added.

Echoing similar sentiments, a college student, Satyam Kumar Jha said, “RJD, Congress and JD-U are self-proclaimed champions of secular India, but they left the victim’s family alone to fight despite the fact that he was killed during the agitation led by them.”

“Despite openly saying that RJD will not allow NRC to be implemented and that they will take care of our minority brothers, it is most deplorable that they have not bothered to visit the victim’s family even once,” Danish Ahmad Khan, a social activist from Gaya town, said.

RJD President Jagdanand Singh had announced the formation of a fact-finding team on Thursday, January 2, which would visit Phulwari Sharif on Friday and submit its report for further action. However, even this is being seen as a mere ritual.

According to police sources, till date, 60 people have been arrested in Phulwari Sharif in connection with the attack on the peaceful protest march followed by clashes between the two groups in which six people received gunshot injuries, two sustained stab injuries and nearly a dozen were injured in stone and brick pelting.

Armed security men are still deployed at different sensitive places in Phulwari Sharif in view of tension.