A 12-class-boy Muslim student named Razzaq, a resident of Noornagar of Sujangarh in Churu district of Rajasthan, died by suicide after being fed up with the harassment and Islamophobic abuses from his teachers. Although the tragic incident occurred on January 31st, the family of Razzaq has been fighting for justice for over two months now.
Razzaq was a regular student of Class 12 Arts section of the state-run Poonam Chand Bajadiya School in the town, according to The Mooknayak news website.
According to his elder brother Salim Khan, Razzaq was scared for a long time due to the inhumane treatment he was receiving from his teachers. He was insulted and made to stand outside the classroom in front of his classmates.
Salim also claimed that Razzaq was told that he would become a terrorist because he was a Muslim.
“You are a Muslim anyway. You will become a terrorist,” the accused teachers reportedly told the 12 year old student.
Razzaq’s mutilated body was found on the railway track in the Ladnun police station limits of Nagaur district, about 250 meters from his home, on January 31, 2023, when he left home for school, reported The Mooknayak.
After his death, Razzaq’s elder brother Rustam Khan filed a complaint at the Ladnun police station in Nagaur district, alleging that his school teachers Dhannaram Prajapat, Shashi Sharma and Ranjit Bhinchar used to behave inhumanly with Razzaq and made abusive comments about his religion.
The police registered an FIR under Section 306, naming the above three teachers, but the investigation has not been completed yet. A suicide note was also recovered by the police from the pocket of the deceased student. Rustum says that Razzaq wrote about the incidents of the discrimination in the suicide note with him. The names of those responsible for his death are also written.
Rustum Khan alleges that more than two months have passed since the incident, but the police have not taken any action. The accused teachers have political protection, which is why no one has been arrested. The police are also not informing the victim’s family about the process of investigation, The Mooknayak reported.
Rustam alleges that the police can change the suicide note and statements of fellow students to save the accused. Since the incident, the behavior of the police with the family of the deceased student has not been good, the kin said to the news website.
According to the case registered at Ladnun police station in Nagaur district, Rustam Khan’s son Ali Khan Moyal Kayamkhani gave a written statement that Razzaq had told him that the school teachers were treating him inhumanely and practicing Islamophobia. Due to this, there had been a fight many times, and Razzaq had been expelled from the school.
On January 31, Razzaq had left the house in the morning to go to school. The family received a call at 3 pm informing them that Razzaq had met with an accident and was admitted to the hospital. After receiving the call, the family rushed to the Ladnun hospital and found that Razzaq had died.
The family alleges that due to the discrimination by the teachers of the school, Razzaq had chosen death. The family demanded that legal action be taken by registering a case against the guilty people, including Dhannaram Prajapat, Shashi Sharma, and Ranjit Bhinchar.
In response to the incident, four teachers were suspended by the education department. However, the family demands that justice be served and the guilty be held accountable.
Rajasthan Muslim Youth Organization State President Roshan Khan Kayamkhani said to The Mooknayak that the victim’s family belongs to the Muslim community, which is why no one is listening to them.
After the death of the student, an angry crowd sat on a dharna. Congress MLA from Ladnun, Mukesh Bhakar, assured the arrest of the accused to end the dharna.
“However, he has now turned away from his promise. The staff of the Ladnun MLA has also been accused of indecency with the Muslim community,” Kayamkhani said.
Kayamkhani has further alleged that the accused have political influence, which is why the police are under pressure.
The victim’s family has appealed to the Chief Minister for justice.
The news earlier mistakenly reported the boy was 12-year-old. He was a 12-class-student.
