Published On : Thu, Jul 13th, 2017

Video: Bharsingi man thrashed for allegedly carrying beef is a BJP leader

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Nagpur: Saleem Ismael Shah, the man beaten up mercilessly in the Bharsingi village which is about 70 Kms from Nagpur, says he has been a BJP man for over 12 years now.

He was head of the party’s minority cell of the area for some time and is now ‘Mahamantri’ of BJP party Katol taluka.

Ismael was heading for a meeting at the Masjid Committee at 10.15 a.m. yesterday when suddenly the four attackers pounced on him and pulled him down from his two wheeler beating him, all the time. After kicking and assaulting him with rods, one finally flung his own scooty on top of him after which Ismael fell unconscious.

It is learnt through sources that he was admitted to Mayo hospital in Nagpur and his condition was critical yesterday.

“He is still in a lot of pain” said his wife Zareen Ismael.

“I kept pleading with them and telling them ‘it is meat, not beef’ but they did not listen to me” says Ismael.

Bharsingi is part of ‘twin villages’ Narsinghi-Bharsingi between Katol and Jalalkheda on the way to Warud.

Bharsingi has a population of about 8000 with very few Muslim families living there. Just two or three families, according to locals. There is more of a sizeable population of the Minority community in Jalalkheda.

The people of Barsinghi are mostly into agriculture with some people who are employed in Katol commuting there everyday.

Ismael himself was into trade of cotton and Chana dal.

“We have no connection to meat business” clarified his family members.

Local political observors also opine that this thrashing could have political overtones. Bachchu Kadu, whose gang members the assailants allegedly are, is an independent MLA from Paratwada. It is said that he wants to shift his constituency to Morshi, which is close to Bharsingi.

According to an eye witness to the assault, who was in his way to work then, the main attacker was allegedly Moreshwar Laxman Tandulkar who is President of Prahar, an organization started by Kadu.