Communal tension grips Rajasthan town after man beaten to death

Communal tension gripped Jahazpur town in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara district on Saturday (July 5, 2025) after a 25-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death following a minor road accident. The victim’s car hit a roadside vegetable cart in the market, after which a crowd gathered at the spot and thrashed him.

The police have arrested the main accused, Shareef Mohammed, and detained another suspect after registering a murder case against 16 named and 20 unidentified persons. The local administration has withdrawn permission to take out the Muharram procession in the town on Sunday (July 6, 2025), citing law and order concerns.

Sitaram Keer, a resident of Tonk district, was travelling in the car with three friends to attend a family function in Jahazpur. While leaving the main market on Friday (July 4, 2025) evening, their car collided with Shareef’s handcart. A verbal altercation escalated into violence when a mob surrounded the group.

Sitaram was allegedly pulled out of the car and assaulted by the mob, even as he offered to compensate the cart owner for the damage and loss of vegetables. The injured man was rushed to the government hospital on a motorcycle, as the car’s wiring was damaged in the incident. Police said the doctors declared Sitaram dead on arrival.

While the locals shut down the market in protest against the incident, the victim’s family staged a dharna outside the hospital overnight, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits. Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Jahazpur, Gopichand Meena, joined the protest on Saturday (July 5, 2025) morning and negotiated with the administration.

Bhilwara Superintendent of Police Dharmendra Singh said additional police force had been deployed in the town and the situation was “peaceful and under control”. The markets in Jahazpur remained closed on Saturday (July 5, 2025) as a mark of protest amid the continuing tension.