As the dates for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 approach, electoral fervour is mounting. While some parties focus on nation and development, some people’s politics revolve only around caste. Thakur Puran Singh’s name has recently emerged in caste politics amidst demands for a caste census. Puran Singh is organising Rajput (Kshatriya) conferences around Western Uttar Pradesh with an agenda of opposing the Bhartiya Janata Party.
When OpIndia looked into Puran Singh’s past, it turned out that a case was filed against him for shooting a Rajput (Kshatriya) six years ago. In that case, a Muslim man had supported Puran Singh’s attack on a Kshatriya. Many conferences were held under the name ‘Swabhiman Mahapanchayat’ in districts including Saharanpur, Meerut, and Muzaffarnagar, led by Thakur Puran Singh. In addition to Uttar Pradesh, he said that Kshatriyas from Rajasthan and Haryana attended these meetings.
The latest panchayat was conducted on the 16th of April at Meerut’s Kheda village. Seeking to establish himself as a Kshatriya community sympathiser in front of a large audience, Thakur Puran Singh appealed to Rajputs in these Panchayats to abstain from voting for the Bharatiya Janata Party. Puran Singh, along with others on stage at the Kheda Panchayat, swore an oath by pouring salt into a pot. People like Mohammad Zubair, who are running a religious agenda under the garb of fact-checking, are the most likely to post videos and news from these anti-BJP panchayats.
रघुकुल रीति सदा चली आई ,प्राण जाए पर वचन न जाए
— ठाकुर पूरन सिंह (@puraansingh) April 16, 2024
क्षत्रियों आगाज हो चुका है ये आवाज रूकनी नहीं चाहिए बताओ हमारे वोट का क्या महत्व होता है#भाजपा_हटाओ_देश_बचाओ #भाजपा_हटाओ_राजपुत_बचाओ pic.twitter.com/Dv0tTHbW9v
Thakur Puran Singh accused of firing on a Kshatriya
Even though Thakur Puran Singh is now active in the Kshatriya Swabhiman Panchayat, an FIR was filed against him in the past for firing on a Rajput man and his associates. The incident occurred on January 13, 2018. Satish Kumar Pundir had filed a complaint at the Shamli district police station in Uttar Pradesh alleging that on the 13th of January 2018, at 5 p.m., Thakur Puran Singh and Raju Singh, who claimed to be the president of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangathan, came him in four to five vehicles.
Puran expressed displeasure with Satish Singh Pundir and asked why he filed a complaint against Raju Singh at the police station. Satish Singh proposed that Thakur Puran Singh sit and discuss There was some conversation in the presence of sugarcane department officials, but Puran Singh’s associate, Raju Singh, initiated a dispute. It is claimed that when Raju Singh began abusing, Satish Singh Pundir stood up and left.
Raju Singh and his friends ran towards Satish Singh as he was leaving. During this time, the attackers aimed their guns at Satish and fired a bullet with the intent to kill him.
Haji Afsar among Satish Pundir’s attackers
Satish Singh stated in his complaint that Puran Singh’s friend and associate, Haji Afsar Ali, was also among those who fired at him. Haji Afsar Ali is originally from the Bhainsani village of Shamil. The attack also targeted Puran Singh, Raju, and Haji Afsar, as well as Ankur Rana and Rohit from Muzaffarnagar district. In addition, the FIR mentions 20-25 other unknown attackers. The majority of this unknown mob are thought to be henchmen of Puran Singh’s ally Haji Afsar Ali. OpIndia has a copy of the FIR.
The Shamli police then filed a FIR against 20-25 unknown attackers, including Puran Singh, Raju Singh, Ankur Rana, Rohit, and Haji Afsar, for the murder of Thakur Satish Singh Pundir. All of them were charged with violating sections 147, 148, 149, 307, 323, 504, and 452 of the IPC. On May 16, 2018, the police concluded their investigation into this case and issued a charge sheet. The police investigated and found that Satish Singh Pundir’s allegations against Thakur Puran Singh, his colleague officer Ali, and other nominees were true.
No arrests due to fear of riots
On May 16, the police filed a charge sheet in Shamli court and explained why the five identified accused had not been arrested. According to police, the attacker, Puran Singh, and the other accused are members of a farmers’ organisation, thus their arrest would disrupt law and order in the society. On top of this, the police argued at the time that the Lok Sabha by-election would be held. The police have also requested the court to punish Puran Singh, Haji Afsar Ali, Ankur Rana, Rohit, and Raju Singh.
In his complaint, the victim, Thakur Satish Singh Pundir, expressed dread of being attacked again by Puran Singh, Haji Afsar Ali, and the other accused. He stated that, in addition to the sugar mill guards, Uttar Pradesh Police arrived at the scene and saved his life. Satish Singh had also demanded stringent action against the accused.
