The Government Railway Police’s announcement of a Rs.1 lakh reward for clues into the lynching of teenager Junaid Khan in a local train in Haryana last week has met with a few responses.
Junaid was stabbed to death and his brothers attacked by a group of people in a local train after an argument over a seat turned communal. The assailants threw Junaid and his brothers out of the train at Asaoti station.
Sources in GRP, Ambala Cantt, said they have received some phone calls regarding information about the assailants and one of the callers may even have video footage of the entire incident.
"The development came after GRP announced that anyone providing information about the culprits or offering video footage of the incident can get a reward of Rs.1 lakh," police sources added.
Kamaldeep Goyal, Superintendent of Police, Ambala Cantt GRP, confirmed the development but remained tight-lipped about those who contacted them, stating that it can hamper investigations.
Sources said police have been interrogating six persons from the day after the incident. "We are trying to reach out to the maximum number of passengers who were there in the fourth coach of the Delhi-Mathura passenger train in which Junaid was stabbed to death," said Goyal.
Police sources said four persons were involved in the stabbing and three of them are in their late 20s.
Police has also taken the help of mobile surveillance and is checking the locations of different phone numbers at the spot. "So far we have found no connection of the accused with any political outfit," said Goyal, adding that raids were on to nab the criminals.
Sleepless nights
Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda met Junaid’s family at their house in Khandawali village on Tuesday.
"Bhupinder Singh Hooda met us and told us that the accused will be arrested soon," said Jalaluddin, Junaid’s father.
The teenager’s brother, Hashim, who had seen Junaid dying before his eyes, has been unable to sleep as the horrific scene keeps playing on his mind.
"Junaid was very close to Hashim as they used to sleep in the same room. He was terrified last night as the scene of his brother being stabbed kept appearing before his eyes,” said Jalaluddin.
"We have to live with this pain for the rest of our life," said Jalaluddin, adding that his wife Saira is inconsolable and his other son Shaqir is still in hospital. The family now only wants the immediate arrest of all those who were involved in Junaid’s killing.
A police official met Hashim and recorded his statement. Some photographs were also shown to him to get clues about the accused.