Despite multiple workers involved, Wasim, a Muslim daily wage labourer, was targeted and jailed after a deadly accident at a religious event, family demands justice.
Team Clarion
BAGPAT — A Muslim labourer has been wrongfully imprisoned for a tragic incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Bagpat district, where a temporary stage collapsed during a religious celebration last month, killing nine and injuring over 50. Despite multiple workers being involved in the construction, Wasim, a daily wage labourer, has been singled out and blamed for the disaster. His family has now taken the case to the district Superintendent of Police, seeking justice.
The incident occurred on 28 January 2025 at the Laddu Nirman Mahotsav in Barot, a festival marking the birth anniversary of Adinath, a prominent figure in Jainism. During the event, a stage built for the occasion collapsed as numerous people gathered on it, leading to a tragic stampede. The contractors responsible for the stage construction were Neetu Jain and Sandeep Jain, but Wasim, employed as a labourer for a daily wage of ₹500, has been falsely accused of causing the accident and sent to jail.
“My husband is innocent,” said Shahjahan, Wasim’s wife, during a meeting with the Baghpat SP. “He was just doing his job. The contractors made him take the blame for something he did not do.”
The family claims that while 8-10 labourers worked on the stage construction, Wasim was the only one arrested. His brother and nephew, Islam and Mehtab, expressed disbelief at how Wasim alone was held accountable. “How can one man be blamed for what happened when there were others involved?” they asked.
Wasim’s wife further alleged that the contractors, Neetu and Sandeep Jain, pressured her husband into giving a statement blaming himself for the incident. “They forced him to sign a false statement saying he was in charge of the stage construction,” she said, adding that the contractors are trying to evade responsibility by scapegoating her husband.
Wasim’s family emphasized their desperate situation, as the labourer’s imprisonment has left his family in financial turmoil. “We are starving. There’s no one to earn for the family,” Shahjahan lamented, urging authorities to free Wasim and conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
In response, Baghpat’s Superintendent of Police, Arpit Vijayvargiya, has assured the family that a fair investigation will be conducted. “We will look into the case thoroughly,” he said. “If there are any wrongful actions, we will take strict action against those responsible.”
This incident comes amid increasing concerns over the targeting of Muslims in various accidents and incidents across India. From the stampede during the Kumbh Mela to rumors surrounding the Odisha train accident, there are growing reports of attempts to paint Muslims as culprits in unrelated events. The Bagpat case adds to the list of such incidents where a Muslim name has been blamed, raising questions about systemic bias and discrimination.
As the investigation continues, Wasim’s family remains hopeful that justice will prevail and that the true culprits will be held accountable for the loss of life. “My husband was just a worker,” Shahjahan reiterated, “He doesn’t deserve this.”
