'None Are Muslims': Maharashtra Home Minister Shares List Of 101 Arrested In Palghar Lynching Case

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Wednesday, April 22, shared the list of 101 accused who have been arrested in connection with the horrifying Palghar mob lynching of three people, including two sadhus.

The Minister categorically mentioned that none of the arrested were Muslims and appealed to people to not add any religious color to the incident or communalise it in any way.

In a statement made on social media, Deshmukh said: "Palghar mob lynching is a grotesque incident which happened due to rumours on social media about child kidnappers and thieves prowling in the area. A high-level inquiry is going on and, meanwhile, people are requested not to fall for rumours and verify the facts from trusted sources."

"There was sound heard in the video 'oye bas,' and people circulated it online with some calling it 'Shoaib bas.' At a time when the entire State machinery is busy fighting Coronavirus, there are some people who are trying to bring communal angle into it," he said.

In a video that the minister posted on his official Facebook page, Deshmukh reiterated that none of the accused in the incident belonged to the Muslim community. "It is unfortunate that communal politics is being played following the incident," he added. "Some people are having pipedreams about politicising the issue... it is not the time to play politics, but to fight the coronavirus collectively."

Three people were mercilessly lynched at the remote Gadchinchle village in Palghar district of Maharashtra on the night of April 16. The three were trying to cross the state border to Gujarat and were refused entry at Dadra and Nagar Haveli union territory.

The villagers stopped the car as there were rumours about a kidnappers' gang and thieves, after which a violent mob of about 100 people lynched the three to death with sticks and iron rods.

The deceased were local religious leaders from Kandivali, who first tried to go by the National Highway route to Silvassa but were stopped by police officials due to the nationwide lockdown.

Condemning the incident, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray warned of strict action against those who try to communalise the gruesome incident and assured of stringent action against all accused in the lynching case.

"Nobody guilty in this heinous crime and shameful act will be spared and they will be brought to justice in the strongest way possible," the CM said.

Also Read: Palghar Lynching: Two Police Officers Suspended For Negligence In Duty, Over 100 Arrested