Bhim Army Leader's Brother Killed in Saharanpur, FIR Filed against Rajput Mahasabha Leader

Saharanpur, which had seen one of the worst cases of caste violence in its recent history last year, in this very week, seems to be yet again going in the same direction after Sachin Walia, brother of Bhim Army's local president Kamal Walia, was murdered by unidentified assailants near the celebration venue of Maharana Pratap Jayanti on Wednesday. And as Dalit groups have pointed out, it seems that the same upper caste Rajput outfits which were behind the Shabbirpur violence on Dalits on May 9, 2017, are also behind the attack on Sachin Walia.

Two of the four people, who have been named in the FIR of the murder case of Sachin, are Sher Singh Rana and Updesh Rana. Both of them are associated with Rajput Mahasabha, a group of upper caste Rajputs who are known to defy the law and flaunt arms in a public display of caste superiority.

Sher Singh Rana, the infamous Rajput leader from UP, who was allegedly behind the murder of Phoolan Devi, is the senior leader of Rajpur Mahasabha and was reportedly present near Maharana Pratap Bhawan where the Rajputs were about to begin celebrations of Maharana Pratap birth anniversary. That is why the family of Sachin has accused Ser Singh Rana to be behind the murder.

According to the FIR, a copy of which is in the possession of NewsClick, Sher Singh Rana, Updesh Rana, Nagendar Rana and Kanha Rana have been named as the main accused in the Sachin's murder case. The FIR which was filed on the complaint of Sachin's mother Kanti Devi was registered at Kotwali Saharanpur Dehat on May 10.

The FIR mentions that Sachin was killed from a very close range allegedly at a place which is not very far from Maharana Pratap Bhawan. Sher Singh Rana's name rings bell repeatedly in the context of violence against Dalits as Bhim Army leaders accuse him to be one of the main conspirators behind the violent attacks on Dalits in Shabbirpur.

Two people were killed and many dozens injured on May 9 last year when Dalit households were burnt after they objected to an illegal Maharana Pratap music procession in Shabbirpur village which was on its way to the nearby Simlana village where a grand ceremony was being celebrated by Rajput leaders.

Bhim Army leader Kamal Walia told NewsClick that Sher Singh Rana was one of the chief guests of the function at Simlana on May 9 when the crowd from Simlana village surrounded the Dalits of Shabbirpur after they objected to the illegal procession by the Rajput youths.

“Sher Singh Rana was one of the main conspirators of Shabbirpur violence last year. But the police took no action against him because he has the protection of Rajput leaders of BJP like Suresh Rana and chief minister Yogi Adityanath. The Rajput leaders like Sher Singh Rana had yet again planned to repeat another Shabbirpur because they feel it is their government and like last year they will get away with whatever they do,” Walia told NewsClick on phone from Saharanpur hours after he was done with the last rites of his brother.

After last year's unprecedented violence over the celebration of Maharana Pratap's birth anniversary, this time many civil society groups, including Dalit groups, have requested the Saharanpur district administration not to give permission for the celebration of Maharana Pratap Jayanti. Subsequently, Rajput youths and leaders of Rajput Mahasabha had mobilised the support of Rajput ministers of BJP government, to pressurise the local administration to give them permission to go ahead with the Maharana Pratap celebrations

Not only that. Updesh Rana had made a provocative video issuing threats against Bhim Army leaders if they tried to stop the Maharana Pratap celebrations. The FIR mentions in detail how Bhim Army had petitioned the district administration not to grant permission to Rajput youths for the celebration as it might lead to more violence.

“Bhim Army had highlighted how some anti-social groups in Ramnagar area of Saharanpur were trying to create disturbances and hence will conspire to trigger violence in Saharanpur on the occasion of Maharana Pratap celebrations. But the SP did not listen to any request. Subsequently, Sachin Walia was killed by youths who were going to attend the Rajput leader's birth anniversary,” mentions the FIR.

Sachin's murder has once again brought to the fore the partisan behaviour of the Saharanpur administration which gave permission to Rajput groups despite threats of violence and provocations of caste clashes.