MP: RSS men attack tribal village in suspicion of religious conversion, pregnant woman loses child

Eight months pregnant tribal woman reported miscarriage after a group of alleged Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) men attacked a tribal village in Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh in a suspicion of religious conversion and kicked on her on stomach.

The incident occurred on December 31 afternoon at Devra village of Thikri tehsil, 50-km away from the district headquarter, when a mob of 25-30 people, allegedly associated with the RSS, armed with sticks attacked the home of a tribal Sardar Vaskale, thrashed the residents and hurled abusive remarks over the suspicion of conversion into the Christianity.

Two weeks have passed since the incident, but the Barwani police haven't filed an FIR of the incident despite the repeated complaint and dharna by the members of Bhim Army and a tribal outfit JAYS at Thikri police station of the district.

Talking over the phone, the husband of the victim woman Leela Bia, Rakesh Alawe, claimed that a group of mob attacked their home on the afternoon of December 31and kicked on her stomach. “She began screaming and fell on the floor as they kicked her,” said the husband, Rakesh.

“Blood was all over the floor when we took her to another village and called the ambulance 108. The attackers took our mobile phones. So, I rushed to another village to call an ambulance. Upon reaching hospital, the doctor informed them that the child had died,” Alawe added.

A video of Leela narrating the incident also went viral on social media.

Raju Patel, member of the tribal outfit JAYS claimed that the police is constantly pressurising the victims to sign an agreement with the RSS men who attacked or withdraw their complaint. “We have held a day-long dharna at police station demanding FIR, but no action has been taken even after two weeks because the attackers are associated with the RSS.”

Chief Superintendent of Police Ruprekha Yadav, who has been given the charge to investigate the matter claimed that a zero FIR has been registered over the death of the unborn child and investigation is underway.

No FIR even after two weeks

In a complaint to the Thikri police station and Barwani Superintendent of Police Nimish Agarwal, the victims along with the members of Bhim Army alleged that the sarpanch of Khuranpura village (2.5 km away from Devra) Mangal Patel along with Sriram Patidar, Ravi Khanna, Raj Rathore, Ramesh Rathore, Gaurav Sharma and 27 other RSS men attacked the village and brutally thrashed the residents in suspicion of religious conversion.

They even kicked the eight months pregnant woman Leela Bai on the stomach. She is a resident of another village, who had come to the Sardar Vaskale’s home on an invitation for special prayers.

“Nearly 25-30 RSS men broke into my house and attacked me and my family members alleging religious conversion,” said Sardar Vaskale over the phone whose house was attacked by the mob.

“They also attacked the women who tried to stop them. In between they kicked Leela, daughter-in-law of my aunt on the stomach. The pregnant woman began screaming and blood spilled all over the floor. They also threatened us to kill if we reported the matter to the police,” said Vaskale describing the horror of the incident.

“They left after a police vehicle arrived on the spot,” he added.

Demanding strict action against the assailants, they urged the police to register an FIR under SC/ST atrocities act and 302, 304, 147, 148 and other sections of the IPC for killing a child, creating riot and assaulting innocents.

Town inspector of Thikri police station CS Baghle claimed that they have received a counter complaint by the residents of Khuranpura village alleging that forceful religious conversion was underway in the village and they were trying to stop that.

Confirming it, Chief Superintendent of Police Ruprekha Yadav, said, “Some villagers attacked the tribal family on the suspicion of conversion. But, it is yet to be established if the woman reported miscarriage due to the attack.”

“We are waiting for the medical reports of the woman who was allegedly attacked by the mob and talking to eye-witnesses of the incident to know the real reason of the attack, the probe is on,” CSP Yadav added.

When asked about the involvement of the RSS men in this entire incident of violence, Yadav replied, “The victim and locals have claimed that they were RSS men, but the probe is still on and nothing can be revealed until we complete it.”

The RSS leader from Barwani and RS MP Sumeer Singh Solanki was called for his comment on the alleged involvement of RSS men in the attack, but he did not respond to the calls despite repeated attempts.