Masihuzzama Ansari
NEW DELHI—An agonizing wait for justice continues for the family of 16-year-old Hafiz Junaid even after five years have passed since he was lynched in a moving train.
Hafiz Junaid, a resident of Khandawali village in Haryana, was stabbed in a train on June 22, 2017. Soon after, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar promised a compensation of Rs 10 lakh. However, even after five years, the victim’s family is yet to receive the money.
Hafiz Junaid was on his way to Khandawali in Haryana from Delhi’s Sadar Bazar after Eid shopping when an altercation broke out on a Mathura-bound train over a seat. As a result, he was brutally stabbed to death. Junaid’s brother Haseeb and two cousins, Shakir and Mohsin, were also attacked during the incident. Shakir was severely injured. Junaid was later thrown off a moving train near Asawati, 30 km from Delhi.
Talking to India Tomorrow, the victim’s family said that attempts were made to meet the Chief Minister several times, but he refused on one pretext or the other.
Hafiz Junaid’s father, Jalaluddin, said that Manohar Lal Khattar and the Haryana government had announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh after the incident.
“It has been five years, and we have not received anything. The chief minister is avoiding meeting us. Chief Minister came to Faridabad several times. Once I went to meet him, but he refused, saying he had to attend an important meeting,” he said.
Jalaluddin said he went to Faridabad thrice to meet CM but to no avail. He even said he went to Chandigarh three times but could not meet the Chief Minister.
Jalaluddin alleged that even the officers do not talk properly. “Now, we do not even consider it appropriate to meet anyone and talk about the case or compensation,” he said.
Hafiz Junaid’s mother said that after the incident, Maulana Umair Ilyasi had come to the village and promised to ask the government to increase the compensation amount from Rs 10 lakh to Rs one crore.
“He also promised to get Rs 20 lakh compensation for the injured. But, even after five years, Maulana Umair Ilyasi neither got compensation nor took care of us. He never revisited us,” she said.
Jalaluddin said Maulana had come to mislead people. “He had said that he would get compensation increased to Rs 1 crore. Then, he said he would ask the government to compensate the injured and get them jobs,” he said.
A few days ago, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat met Maulana Umair Ilyasi, president of Delhi’s All India Imam Organization, at his office in the mosque on Delhi’s Kasturba Gandhi Marg. Since then, rumours are agog that Maulana Umair Ilyasi is close to Sangh and Modi.
When India Tomorrow sought Maulana Umair Ilyasi’s response, he said he did not know this matter. He said, “I don’t remember. These people never came to meet me. So I have no information about it. I met them five years ago.”
Maulana Ilyasi said Delhi Waqf Board had given a job to one of the brothers and assisted them financially. He said many people helped them.
However, the family denied getting a job to any member of the Waqf Board.
Advocate Nibras Ahmed, the lawyer handling the Junaid lynching case, told this scribe that the police produced seven accused in the case in the court. “All were booked under section 302 IPC. However, later the authorities dropped Section 302 against five accused,” he said.
The family also filed a petition in the High Court, demanding a CBI inquiry against the other accused as well.
“Our petition was dismissed by the High Court, saying that this matter does not come under its jurisdiction. The court asked us to approach the Supreme Court. Later we approached the Supreme Court. The apex court had stayed the trial in the lower court. The court had merged all the lynching cases across the country, staying the hearing of the case till the disposal of the petition,” Advocate Nibras Ahmed said.
“Since then, the dates are being taken, but the matter is not being heard. Until our petition is not acted upon or dismissed, the status quo will remain in this matter. The main accused in this case, who stabbed Hafiz Junaid, has got conditional bail from the Punjab and Haryana High Court,” he added.
Junaid’s father said neither the government helped nor justice was delivered. “The accused are on bail and roaming free. I want the accused to be punished severely. They should be hanged. I want justice,” he said.
Jalaluddin had challenged the Haryana High Court order dismissing the plea for CBI inquiry. The court had said there was no evidence to show that the Haryana Police’s investigation was faulty.
A driver by profession, Jalaluddin is now unable to work because of his ailments and old age. Junaid’s mother has lost her eyesight and is just waiting for justice.
