Tension prevailed for hours in Pratapgarh town of Rajasthan as a union leader succumbed to his injuries after he was brutally thrashed by a team of sanitation workers of the municipal council. The incident happened, when the deceased tried to stop sanitation workers from clicking pictures of women who had gone to relieve themselves in the open on June 16 morning.
The victim has been identified as Zafar Khan (55). He stopped the team from clicking pictures as they were allegedly trying to shame the women in an attempt to discourage them.
According to a Times of India report, officials claimed that Khan suffered a heart stroke during the incident, though the post-mortem report would clarify the cause of death. Following protests after his death, police detained all the seven members of the sanitation team who had carried out the awareness campaign under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) in Rajasthan.
A case has been registered and the police are investigating the matter. According to the TOI, district officials said that lawful demands of the aggrieved family will be met and a job on compassionate grounds will be provided as per the provisions.
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The municipal council chairman too announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the victim’s family, sources informed.
The incident took place early on Friday morning when sanitation workers came across women relieving themselves near Kachhi Basti, located in the middle of Pratapgarh town.
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As the accused were creating awareness among the public against open defecation, they tried to dissuade the women, following which a heated argument broke out between the women and the team. Khan tried to stop the team members, which led to a fight in which Khan was left badly injured. Later, he died during treatment.
Sensing a communal tension, a larger force was deployed outside the hospital as well as the main streets to prevent any untoward incident.
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