<p>Hindu right-wing groups are behind the recent lynching of 19-year-old Sameer Shahpur in Gadag’s Nargund, human rights activists have said, flagging a spate of attacks on Muslims in the northern Karnataka town since November 2021. </p>.<p>“From all accounts, the mob allegedly has allegiance to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bajrang Dal. Police have arrested four people, including Sanju Nalvade, a member of the Bajrang Dal,” a group of six academics and activists said in a report. </p>.<p>The report is based on interviews conducted with various stakeholders by Akash Bhattacharya, Mohammad Irshad, Rajendran Narayanan, Shabeer Ahmad, Shaikh Zakeer Hussain and Siddhart Joshi. </p>.<p>Shahpur was beaten to death on January 17 while returning home on a motorcycle with a friend named Shamsher Khan.</p>.<p>Khan was stabbed near the chest and is in a hospital. </p>.<p>According to the report, although Nargund did witness sporadic and minor incidents of Hindu-Muslim tensions in the past, “the last two years have seen a steady rise in hate speeches and the harassment of Muslims, with the intensity peaking since November 2021.” </p>.<p>The report also cites the cases of Azim, a college student who was assaulted and later named an accused in an FIR; the assault on Zyed, a 17-year-old student at Siddheshwar Government College, and the brutal attack on one Arbaaz at Maulana Azad School. </p>.<p>The report further says that Muslims are facing trumped-up charges and cites the incident when an armed mob of 200 threatened the community in Nargund’s Lodigalli area on January 14.</p>.<p>“The police came to the spot and four people — all belonging to the Muslim community — were arrested.</p>.<p>"An FIR was filed against some members of the community on fabricated grounds of defaming Hindu gods. However, nobody from the 200-odd mob of the Sangh Parivar was arrested,” the report states. </p>.<p>The report called communal incidents the “consequence of systematic forms of atomised and targeted violence against Muslims fuelled by hate speeches”. </p>.<p>The report has demanded a fair and free investigation into Shahpur’s murder, adequate compensation to his family and strong police action against hate speeches.</p>.<p>It also demanded the end of political patronage to organisations and individuals delivering hate speeches and committing hate crimes.</p>.<p><strong>Check out latest DH videos here</strong></p>
<p>Hindu right-wing groups are behind the recent lynching of 19-year-old Sameer Shahpur in Gadag’s Nargund, human rights activists have said, flagging a spate of attacks on Muslims in the northern Karnataka town since November 2021. </p>.<p>“From all accounts, the mob allegedly has allegiance to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bajrang Dal. Police have arrested four people, including Sanju Nalvade, a member of the Bajrang Dal,” a group of six academics and activists said in a report. </p>.<p>The report is based on interviews conducted with various stakeholders by Akash Bhattacharya, Mohammad Irshad, Rajendran Narayanan, Shabeer Ahmad, Shaikh Zakeer Hussain and Siddhart Joshi. </p>.<p>Shahpur was beaten to death on January 17 while returning home on a motorcycle with a friend named Shamsher Khan.</p>.<p>Khan was stabbed near the chest and is in a hospital. </p>.<p>According to the report, although Nargund did witness sporadic and minor incidents of Hindu-Muslim tensions in the past, “the last two years have seen a steady rise in hate speeches and the harassment of Muslims, with the intensity peaking since November 2021.” </p>.<p>The report also cites the cases of Azim, a college student who was assaulted and later named an accused in an FIR; the assault on Zyed, a 17-year-old student at Siddheshwar Government College, and the brutal attack on one Arbaaz at Maulana Azad School. </p>.<p>The report further says that Muslims are facing trumped-up charges and cites the incident when an armed mob of 200 threatened the community in Nargund’s Lodigalli area on January 14.</p>.<p>“The police came to the spot and four people — all belonging to the Muslim community — were arrested.</p>.<p>"An FIR was filed against some members of the community on fabricated grounds of defaming Hindu gods. However, nobody from the 200-odd mob of the Sangh Parivar was arrested,” the report states. </p>.<p>The report called communal incidents the “consequence of systematic forms of atomised and targeted violence against Muslims fuelled by hate speeches”. </p>.<p>The report has demanded a fair and free investigation into Shahpur’s murder, adequate compensation to his family and strong police action against hate speeches.</p>.<p>It also demanded the end of political patronage to organisations and individuals delivering hate speeches and committing hate crimes.</p>.<p><strong>Check out latest DH videos here</strong></p>