On 13th December night (Wednesday), an attempt was made on the life of Mahesh, the younger brother of Hindu activist Bittu Bajrangi, in Dabua Colony, Faridabad.
The accused tried to burn Mahesh Panchal alive. He remains in a critical condition and has been transferred to a third hospital for treatment.
35-year-old Mahesh, who has suffered 60% burns, is the father of a daughter. The daughter is the only successor of Bittu’s family.
Bittu Bajrangi family’s survives with hand-to-mouth earnings by selling vegetables. OpIndia team met Bittu Bajrangi’s family on Thursday (14 December 2023).
Bittu Bajrangi’s entire family was present in Prachi Hospital in Faridabad where we met them. Bittu’s father and mother have died a long time ago. Bittu is not married.
The reason for this, he says, is to dedicate himself to the service of Hindu dharma. Bittu’s brother Mahesh, who was set on fire by pouring thinner, is admitted in the burn ward of the hospital.
Policemen were seen deployed at the gate. Apart from administrative officials, no one is allowed to meet Mahesh except doctors.
We saw a girl of about 5 years playing at the gate of the hospital. When we asked her name, the girl introduced herself as Deepika.
Deepika said her father’s name is Mahesh. Deepika is too young to realise the seriousness of what has happened to her father.
She says she is student of class KG. She identifies her father as Kariya too, which is Mahesh’s nickname at home. She also recited ABCD to us.
Her mother, Mahesh’s wife, could not hold back her tears while we tried speaking to her.
When we asked Deepika what she wants to become when she grows up, she said, ‘a doctor’. When we asked her the reason for becoming a doctor, she said she wants to cure sick people.
Deepika may be too young to ascertain the seriousness of the situation, but she knows that something has happened to her father. This was clear to us when she said that the first person she will give injection to when she becomes a doctor is her father.
Deepika’s mother told us that her daughter is a bright student but due to incidents like Bittu’s arrest and now the attack on her husband, her daughter’s studies are getting affected a lot.
The family has spent all their money on Mahesh’s treatment and is now facing a financial crisis.
OpIndia spoke to Bittu about his family background. Bittu said that his late father had built a small house in Faridabad by doing small jobs.
Their family lives in the same house. After the death of their father, Bittu and his brother Mahesh started supporting the family by selling vegetables.
Due to Bittu’s involvement with Hindu organizations, the responsibility of running the family fell on his brother Mahesh. Mahesh was married in a village near Palwal. Five years ago he became the father of a girl. This girl is now the only light in Bittu Bajrangi’s house.
On the day of the incident, Mahesh was selling vegetable at his shop. A group of men threw thinner on him and set him on fire. Mahesh’s in-laws were also present at the hospital.
Speaking to OpIndia on the evening of 16th December, Bittu Bajrangi said that his brother’s condition has improved by about 10%. He also told that due to the calamity at home, his niece’s education has stopped.
In one of his Facebook posts, Bittu Bajrangi has also accused local leaders of ignoring him. Apart from Arman Khan, no other name has come to light among the accused till now. SIT is investigating the case.
