Villagers allege a systemic targeting of Muslims in the Mewat region and demand justice
Team Clarion
ALWAR — Residents of Raghunathgarh village, located under Nawan police station in Rajasthan’s Alwar district, are seething in anger after an infant girl was allegedly crushed to death by a police official during a raid on a Muslim household.
The incident has ignited widespread protests, as residents and Muslim leaders accuse the police of targeted harassment and brutality, with suspicion of a deeper, ongoing pattern of police misconduct in the region.
On the morning of March 2, Imran Khan, a daily wage labourer from Raghunathgarh, was shocked when the police arrived at his house in two jeeps. His wife, Rajida, was sleeping on a cot with their one-month-old daughter when the police, without warning or respect, forcibly entered their home. Imran Khan recalls the harrowing moment when a male police officer physically removed his wife from the cot, and another officer placed his foot on the infant’s head.
“I was still asleep when the police came,” said Imran, speaking to the media. “They dragged me out, and when I returned, my wife was crying, and my daughter’s head was crushed. She didn’t even scream; she died instantly.” The baby’s head was reportedly crushed, and blood was flowing from her nose when Imran returned to the scene. The police did not attempt to offer assistance or take responsibility for the child’s death.
Rajida, still traumatised by the loss, remains bedridden, unable to come to terms with the brutal and senseless death of her daughter.
The incident is not isolated. Local Muslim leaders and residents claim that the police have been repeatedly raiding homes in the region under the pretext of combating cybercrime, which has been rampant in the Mewat area. Mewat, spanning parts of Rajasthan, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, is predominantly home to the Meo Muslim community, with a rich historical and cultural heritage that includes a strong resistance against British colonial rule.
Although cybercrime is a genuine concern in the region, with the government reporting that 54% of cybercrimes in India are linked to Mewat, many local leaders believe that Muslims are being unfairly targeted. “Yes, there is cybercrime, but it’s not just Muslims involved. Everyone is suffering from this,” said Laik Khan, a former village head and a lawyer. “But the continuous police brutality is targeting innocent people in our community, and it is a result of incompetence and lack of education. This is shameful,” he added.
In the wake of the tragic event, villagers reached out to the police, demanding accountability, but their pleas were met with silence. After several failed attempts to secure justice, the community staged a protest at the office of the SP (Rural) of Alwar, where a case was registered against the police officers involved. However, Imran Khan remains sceptical, saying, “This was a deliberate murder, and I want justice. No action has been taken yet.”
Several villagers have shared similar accounts of police harassment, alleging that they are routinely targeted in raids. Nafiz, a 25-year-old vlogger, claims that during a raid on his house on February 25, police officers destroyed his phone, extorted a bribe of Rs 200,000 and only released him after his family paid the demanded sum. “They still picked me up even after I recorded a live video on Facebook,” Nafiz told reporters. “They broke my phone and demanded money to let me go. This is happening to our people in the name of cybercrime.”
Similarly, Shahrukh, a singer and recording studio owner, recounted a distressing encounter with the police. He was framed on false charges of cheating, and the police destroyed all his studio equipment. “They pretended to have found evidence of wrongdoing, but when they realised there was nothing, they let me go,” said Shahrukh. “It was all a setup, and I only escaped because of the CCTV cameras in my house.”
The Congress party has strongly condemned the actions of the police, with district president Ghafoor Khan accusing the BJP government of fostering an environment of anti-Muslim sentiment. He claimed that while cybercrime is a nationwide issue, the police are deliberately targeting Mewat. “Those who can pay bribes are let off, while innocent people suffer. This is not just about police misconduct; it’s about the ongoing discrimination against Muslims in this region,” Khan said.
The Congress has vowed to escalate protests if action is not taken against the officers involved. “If no strict action is taken, we will protest outside the SP’s office,” Khan warned.
The tragic loss of Imran Khan’s daughter has led to a fierce demand for justice. Imran, still grieving the untimely death of his child, has vowed to continue his fight for justice. “I want the responsible criminals to be hanged,” he said. “This has to stop. The police cannot get away with this.”
