Junaid’s father: Eid will never be same

Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 25

In shock over the brutal killing of his young son Junaid (19), 55-year-old Jallaludin, a resident of Khandawali village in Haryana’s Ballabhgarh district, says Eid will never be the same for the family. One son gone and another hospitalised, the family wants the guilty to be brought to book at the earliest. It has refused police protection, saying there is no threat from fellow villagers. 

On June 23, Junaid was stabbed to death on a train that he and his three brothers had boarded at Delhi’s Sadar Bazar. They were on their way back home after making purchases for Eid.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) 

One of Junaid’s brothers was assaulted too by a mob that kept calling them “beef-eaters.”

Jallaludin is a man with meagre means. He and one of his sons drive a taxi to make both ends meet. 

The family was today given a cheque for Rs 5 lakh by the District Red Cross while Wakf Board chairman Rahish Khan announced another Rs 5 lakh and a job to one of Jallaludin’s sons.

Khushi Mohammad, a cousin of the deceased, said local MLA Tek Chand Sharma had visited the family and offered help too. “We sought a government job for a family member.” Village sarpanch Nashir Ahmed said the MLA had agreed to take up the matter with the Chief Minister. “Now that the family has been given help, the village will hold Eid celebrations as usual,” he added. The MLA plans to meet the CM on Tuesday and “ do whatever is possible.”

Rly Police looking for clues

Faridabad: The Railway Police have announced a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh for anyone providing clues leading to the arrest of those behind Junaid’s lynching. Only one of  the accused, Ramesh Kumar, has been arrested so far. Bechu Giri of AITUC called the attack a “well-planned conspiracy.” Senior CPM leader Brinda Karat, who visited the victim’s family on Saturday, lambasted the state government for the incident. TNS