In a shocking recent event, a 26-year-old man was lynched to death by 12 persons while travelling on Mumbai-Latur-Bidar Express. The victim named Sagar Markad, was travelling with his mother, wife and two-year-old daughter when a minor argument led to a brawl.

The wife of the victim, Jyoti, in her complaint said that they boarded the Mumbai-Latur-Bidar Express and as the compartment was packed, there was no place to sit. Sagar requested some women in the general compartment to make some space for his wife. The argument escalated and suddenly the women along with the men they were accompanied by started beating Sagar with sticks.

When the Mumbai-Latur-Bidar Express halted at Daund Junction, Jyoti got help from the Railway Police who immediately rushed Sagar to a nearby hospital wherein the doctors declared him brought dead. The Railway Police at Daund Junction arrested 12 people, including seven women, in connection with the incident. One of the 12 arrested people is underage and has been sent to a juvenile home.

As soon as the news hit social media, rumours surfaced claiming that that the victim was lynched by a Muslim mob after he asked a “Burkha clad” woman to shift to make space for his wife. The viral message alleges that this lynching would not be outraged against since the perpetrators were Muslims.

A twitter user shared the screenshot of some news stories saying, "#SagarMarkad was travelling in train from #Pune with his wife & 2-year-old Daughter. He requested a #Burkha clad woman to make space for his wife to seat, her 12 family members lynched him to death. Why the community name is not mentioned now? Is media protecting Peaceful?"

A similar message is viral on Facebook as well. 

The truth behind the claim

According to a news report by Marathi Daily, the names of arrested people are Taibai Maruti Pawar (F30), Kalavati Dhondiba Chavhan (F65), Rupali Somnath Chavhan (F21), Ganesh Shivaji Chavhan (M24), Nikita Ashok Kale (F35), Jamuna Datta Kale (F20), Tai Hanumant Pawar (F35), Hanumant Ganpat Pawar (M30), Gangubai Namdev Kale (F40), Sonu Appa Kale (24) and a male juvenile have been apprehended by the police for questioning while one Somnath has escaped away.

Central Railways has also clarified that there was no communal angle to this incident.

Clearly, the names of the perpetrators are not Muslim. Hence, the claim that a Burkha clad’s woman’s family was responsible for lynching 26-year-old Sagar Markad is untrue.