Amidst demand for his release, fever kills Dadri lynching accused

Noida, Oct 5: One of the 15 accused jailed for Dadri beef lynching case, wherein Mohammad Akhlaq was bludgeoned to death in September last year, died of fever at a hospital in Delhi.

Jail officials said it was likely that Ravin, a 22-year-old Bisada resident, was suffering from dengue or chikungunya. But the youth's mother and Hindutva groups in his village blamed police for his death, accusing them of negligence.

Ravin, who was arrested on December 21 last year, had been down with fever for four days in Greater Noida's Luksar jail. When his condition deteriorated on Tuesday morning, he was taken to the district hospital in Noida and from there referred to Delhi's LNJP Hospital, where he died around 6pm due to kidney and respiratory failure, doctors said.

"When Ravin had fever for several days, why was he taken to hospital when the situation became critical?" asked Nirmala, his mother. "My son died. He had committed no crime. I want justice." Ravin is survived by his wife and a six-month-old daughter.

District magistrate N P Singh said he had sought a report from the jail superintendent. "This is a very sad incident and we are looking into it. We have formed a committee to examine the matter," he said.

Dr J C Passey, medical superintendent of LNJP Hospital, said, "The patient was rushed to our hospital at 12 pm in critical condition. He had acute fever and kidney dysfunction. Despite our best efforts, he died within a few hours." He said blood samples of Ravin had been sent for dengue and chikungunya tests. "Until the reports come, we cannot comment on the cause of death. He died due to kidney and respiratory failure," Passey said.

Dharmendra Singh, the Gautam Budh Nagar police chief, said, "We received information the accused was suffering from a suspected case of dengue and died in the evening. We are looking into the issue." Luksar jail superintendent M L Yadav did not respond to repeated calls and messages asking for his response.

Ravin, a Class X pass out, worked as a driver when he was arrested in connection with the murder of Akhlaq and the attack on his younger son Danish. He was one of the 18 accused in the charge sheet filed by police in the case but was not among the first few to be arrested in the days after the murder of Akhlaq on September 28 last year.

Following the news of his death, a group of men gathered at the village temple in Bisada and protested. Police rushed personnel to Bisada to keep the situation under control.

Meanwhile, mothers of 13 of the accused have been on an indefinite hunger strike in Bisara since Saturday. A few hours before news of Ravin's death reached Bisara, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Amit Kumar, along with officers from Jharcha police station, met the protesters.

“I am requesting you with folded hands, please release our innocent children and arrest Jaan Mohammad (Akhlaq's brother),” said Lilavati, a local. Akhlaq had been beaten to death by a mob on suspicion of cow slaughter and beef consumption. After his death, an FIR had been registered against him, and six other members of his family, including Jaan Mohammad.

“The hunger strike will continue for two more days… We are giving you (police) two days to arrest Jaan Mohammad. On the third day, if he is still free, we will do what we want. The investigation has been going on for the last three months. Why was there no investigation before our sons were put behind bars?” said Hari Om, a local Hindutva activist.

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