Murder Accused Shambhu Lal Regar Glorified in Ram Navami Rally

A lookalike of alleged killer Shambhu Lal Raigar dressed up as him and took out a rally glorying him.

A lookalike of alleged killer Shambhu Lal Raigar was dressed up as him and taken out on a procession glorifying him.

(Photo: ANI Screengrab)

Video Editor: Mohd Irshad Alam

Jodhpur's streets witnessed a very different kind of tableau on Ram Navami, 25 March, when a cold-blooded murderer was depicted as a hero.

Pictures of the tableau, which were released a few days back, show a man dressed up as Shambhu Lal Raigar – the man who lynched a Muslim worker from West Bengal in Rajasamund in December last year – sitting on a throne with a sword in hand.

Raigar, the man who allegedly killed Mohammad Afrazul and is currently in jail, also circulated the video of the murder on social media.

Suresh, the man who played Raigar, speaking to the media said that he was proud to get a chance to pose as Raigar. "He (Raigar) is a Hindu leader who fought for the religion."

Answering a query on how he can glorify a criminal involved in such a ghastly attack, he said: "How can Raigar be a criminal when even the court hasn't pronounced its verdict? He has done a great job in the fight against (religious) conversions."

The tableau banner reads: "Hindu Bhaiyon, Jaago. Apne Behen-Betiyon Ko Bachao. Love Jihad Se Desh Ko Azaad Karana Chahiye (Wake up, Hindu brothers. Save your sisters and daughters. We should rid this country of love-jihad)."

The banner also carries a picture of Shiv Sena joint treasurer of Jodhpur, Hari Singh Rathore, who got this banner made, according to sources.

According to the chargesheet filed by the Rajasthan police, Shambhulal Raigar, the Rajasthan hacker who murdered a Muslim man in cold blood and later burnt his body, all the while making his nephew record the incident, had been preparing for the event months before it actually took place.