A CPI(M) delegation today met the family of a Muslim youth, who was stabbed to death by a group of people after an altercation over a train seat turned communal near Ballabhgarh in Haryana, and demanded immediate arrest of the attackers.
The delegation asked the police to ascertain political affiliation of those involved in the "horrific mob lynching", saying the accused would not dare target the victim sans "political patronage" in the BJP-ruled state.
CPI(M) politburo members Brinda Karat and Mohammed Salim, who visited the victim's family, targeted the Centre over the attack and rued that no government representative issued a statement on the incident or met the youth's relatives.
The leaders also condemned the lynching of a police officer in Srinagar thought they stressed that their party is not equating the incident with the Ballabhgarh episode.
"We condemn the horrific lynching of the youth and attack on his brothers," Karat told reporters here after meeting the family in Khandavli village.
She urged the government to ensure the victim's family gets compensation and the security is bolstered on all local trains plying on the route, on which Muslims are allegedly harassed by some groups.
Karat said the killing was not a one-off incident and suggested that the episode is the result of a "toxic" campaign of the Sangh Parivar.
Therefore, the former Rajya Sabha member said, there is a need to ascertain the political connections of the accused.
Replying to a question, Karat said the lynching of a Jammu and Kashmir deputy superintendent of police was "barbaric".
She said the "complete failure of the PDP-BJP government on all fronts is leading to a situation where such barbaric acts are taking place".
Junaid (17) was stabbed to death and his two brothers, Hasim (21) and Sakir (23), were injured by a group of people who also allegedly passed slurs against them after a dispute over a train seat near Ballabhgarh in Haryana on June 22.
One person has been arrested in connection with the incident, the police said.
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