RPF Constable Who Killed People on Moving Train Has a History of Assaulting Muslims: Report
The Wire Staff
Real journalism holds power accountable
Since 2015, The Wire has done just that.
But we can continue only with your support.
New Delhi: Former Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable Chetan Singh Chaudhary, who killed his senior and three Muslims on a moving train on July 31, had abused, assaulted, and threatened a 45-year-old Muslim auto driver in Ujjain in 2016, Hindustan Times reported.
Singh threatened one Wajid Khan over a span of several months in 2016-17. Khan filed a complaint with RPF officials in 2017 after Singh physically assaulted him. After an inquiry – which Khan said was delayed by a year – Singh was transferred from his post.
Targeting of Muslims by Chaudhary not new
Recounting the harassment he faced at the hands of Chaudhary, Khan said Chaudhary used to forcefully get into his auto and pressurise him to drive to far-off places without paying. In one instance when Khan could not give a ride to Chaudhary in his auto due to personal reasons, in late January or February 2017, the latter abused him, calling him a "traitor" and "terrorist". Chaudhary said Muslims are "terrorists" and that their real place was in jail, Khan recounted.
The abuse continued until Khan filed a complaint with RPF officials in February 2017 after Chaudhary physically assaulted him. He dragged Khan to an RPF station and detained him there for an hour. Chaudhury alleged that Khan was "roaming around" in the railway station without a platform ticket when he had actually torn the platform ticket that Khan had furnished.
Khan then filed a complaint with RPF officials, saying that he was being harassed on account of his religion and on no other grounds. In his complaint, Khan further said that Chaudhary had called him a "terrorist" and thrashed him while threatening to implicate him in a false case. The targeting and harassment stopped only after he lodged a complaint, Khan said.
An inquiry was launched more than a year after the first complaint, according to Khan. After the inquiry found Chaudhary guilty, he was transferred from his post, an RPF official said. He was sent on training to Kerala and was later transferred to Bhavnagar in Gujarat.
On the other hand, an RPF official also told PTI that Chaudhary was involved in at least three discipline-related incidents in the past. On August 17, the official told PTI that Chaudhary was dismissed from service after RPF Senior Divisional Security Commissioner issued the order to sack Chaudhary on August 14.
This article went live on August nineteenth, two thousand twenty three, at forty-five minutes past seven in the evening.The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.