VHP demands probe by central agency into Palghar lynching case

The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Tuesday demanded a probe by a central agency into the lynching of three people, including two seers, in Palghar district of Maharashtra.

VHP working president Rajesh Gupta also demanded that a special fast track court be set up to decide the matter within a month or two.

The lynching incident took place on the night of April 16. Three men from Kandivali in Mumbai were travelling to Surat in a car when the vehicle was stopped at Gadchinchale village in Palghar district and the trio beaten to death with sticks by a mob on the suspicion that they were thieves.

"The killings have taken place in the stronghold of CPI(M) and five prime accused in the case are still at large. There is no example of such brutality which has hurt the Hindu and Sant Samaj besides those believing in the human values across the country," Gupta told reporters here.

He claimed that the nationalists were watching the situation with patience due to the ongoing lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

"The society has not activated itself physically (because of the lockdown) but that does not mean we will remain silent if the killers were not given exemplary punishment. The Maharashtra government should hand over the probe to a central agency because the lynching had taken place in presence of the local police who seem to be party to the incident," Gupta said.

Taking a dig at Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, he said the political heir of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray took two days to just give a reaction.

"We demand all those accused in the case be arrested and tried in a special fast track court to hand over an exemplary punishment within a month or two. If our demand for probe and setting up of fast track court was not met, a campaign will be started after the lockdown to bring this 'Gunda Raj' to an end in Maharashtra," Gupta added.