On August 21, a Hindu Sadhu identified as Jawahar Giri was brutally assaulted by Islamists after he accidentally reached their area to seek donations for Janmashtmi. As per reports, he was held in a room and beaten up. The accused also snatched around Rs 35,000 that he had collected for the Janmashtmi celebrations that have been happening in Karsa Village in Sitapur.
Hindi Daily Aaj noted in a report that on Sunday morning, Jawahar Giri went to collect donations for the Janmashtmi celebrations. He unknowingly entered the Muslim-dominated area. When the local Muslim residents saw a Hindu saint roaming in the area, they grabbed him and started beating him. Reports suggest there were around 30-50 people who assaulted the saint.
Speaking to OpIndia, Bajrang Dal District Head Sandeep Awasthi said the local Hindus came to know about the incident and rushed to help the saint. They somehow managed to bring the saint from the Muslim-dominating area. Baba Jawahar Giri reached back to Parma Kuti Ashram and informed his Guru Sitaram Mitrasen Naga Baba about the incident. Meanwhile, Bajrang Dal was also informed about the incident, after which its members rushed to the village.
— Sitapur Police (@sitapurpolice) August 22, 2022
The Police were informed about the incident, following which Station in-charge Om Prakash Tiwari reached the spot with the heavy police force. The additional force was called from Thangaon, Tambore, Sadarpur, and Biswan Police Stations. By the time the Police reached Tyagi Baba, members of the Bajrang Dal sat in protest. The Police convinced them to take the saint to the hospital at Rausa, from where he was referred to Sitapur Hospital owing to internal injuries.
Though the reports suggest Baba Jawahar Giri was in critical condition, Bajrang Dal’s district chief Sandeep Awasthi said, “Fortunately, Baba did not sustain life-threatening injuries. He was kept in the hospital for a while and was discharged after getting the required treatment. He has reached his ashram safely and will rest further till he fully recovers from the injuries.”
Awasthi mentioned that as the saint was not from the region, he did not know that where he was going was a dominating Muslim area. When Muslims saw him in Bhagwa clothes, they got angry and grabbed him on the pretext that he was there to “pick up children.” He said, “They brutally assaulted him and threw him in a room. He sustained several injuries on his head.”
Awasthi further added that initially, Police did not take any action against the accused, but after they sat in protest, the Police started arresting the accused. BJP leader Gyan Tiwari also intervened.
सीतापुर साधु की पिटाई मामले में बीजेपी विधायक ज्ञान तिवारी के हस्तक्षेप के बाद दर्ज हुआ केस। चार
— Mohit Mishra ! मोहित मिश्रा (@mohitmishra1987) August 22, 2022
गिरफ्तार।@gyantiwaribjp pic.twitter.com/YtSnsbegjJ
As per Aaj’s report, the main accused in the case, identified as Lakhati s/o Asgar, was arrested by the Police. Awasthi said around 6-7 accused were arrested by the Police whose names were in the FIR. However, there were several unnamed accused in the FIR who were roaming freely.
