‘Identified by his religion and killed,’ says Hyderabad MLA on RPF man’s fourth victim

According to his family, Saifuddin had gone to the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, and was on his way home via Mumbai. A resident of Hyderabad’s Bazar Ghat area in Nampally, he reportedly had a cellphone repair shop and was his family’s only earning member. He is survived by his wife and three daughters, aged 6 years, 2 years, and 6 months.

Saifuddin was reportedly accompanied by Zaffar Khan (76), the owner of the premises where his cellphone repair shop is located.

Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Tikaram Meena (left); RPF constable Chetan Singh (right)

Speaking to The Indian Express, Khan’s relative, who did not want to be named, recounted him as saying that they (Khan and Saifuddin) were sitting on their berth when Singh barged into their B2 coach and asked Saifuddin’s name. “As soon as Saifuddin gave his name, the RPF constable forced him to accompany him at gunpoint,” the relative said.

He said that when Khan objected, Singh pointed the gun at him. Saifuddin was then reportedly taken to the pantry car, where he was shot.

Khan told his relative that he was scheduled to get off at Borivali station, but waited till Mumbai Central station for Saifuddin to return. One of the police personnel then told him to go to his relative’s house and wait there.

Saifuddin was only identified on Tuesday afternoon. “One of my employees was at the hospital but no one gave him any information. Later in the night, my employee went to the Borivali GRP to inquire about Saifuddin. After waiting for several hours, the GRP showed my employee the photos of victims, and my employee showed them Saifuddin’s Aadhaar card,” Khan’s relative said.

In a tweet on Tuesday afternoon, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi identified the victim as Saifuddin. “He was a resident of Bazaarghat, Nampally. He is survived by 3 daughters, the youngest is just 6 months old. AIMIM Nampally MLA… is with the family for the past few hours & coordinating with officials to bring the deceased’s body to Hyderabad,” he tweeted.

In Hyderabad, Nampally MLA Jaffar Hussain Mehraj also alleged that Saifuddin was asked his name before being killed. “There were other passengers. His seth (Khan) was travelling with him. Nothing happened to anyone. Saifuddin, who had a beard, was identified by his religion and killed. We have his seth’s testimony that names were asked before the killing,” the MLA alleged, speaking to reporters in Hyderabad before proceeding to Mumbai with Saifuddin’s two brothers and uncle.

Md Wajid Pasha, Saifuddin’s uncle, said the family had lost its only breadwinner. “This is a terrorist act. He was shot after being asked his name. We want to know why such a wrong happened in the first place,” he said, demanding a compensation of Rs 5 crore for the family.

The MLA said Saifuddin’s last rites would be held at his village in Bidar, Karnataka.

Singh, who was on escort duty, fired 12 rounds from his automatic service rifle, first killing his senior and then the three passengers, officials had said. The accused was nabbed with his weapon while trying to flee.

Meanwhile, while Bhanpurwala’s last rites were held on Tuesday morning, Abbas Ali’s family refused to take his body until their demands were met. They have sought monetary compensation and a government job for his wife.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Mohd Asif Shaikh, president of the Reliable Foundation, an organisation that aids migrant workers from Bihar, said: “Abbas Ali’s family comprises his wife and five children. He was headed to Mumbai in search of a job. Of his five children, four are girls. How are they going to survive now? The family has received a monetary compensation of Rs 10 lakh from the Railways. For how long will this suffice? The family has no other source of income.”

“The person who fired the shots was an RPF official, a government servant. Hence, the family demands that the central government should provide monetary compensation. Furthermore, we demand that the family must be provided a job by the government,” said Shaikh.

With inputs from Sweety Adimulam, Nayonika Bose in Mumbai