‘Why Can’t We Be Violent?’ Communal Rage on Nikita Tomar’s Murder

In between ‘Love Jihad’ claims and provocative speeches, a young life is lost forever to stalking in Faridabad.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Cameraperson: Abhishek Ranjan
Video Editor: Vivek Gupta

In between ‘Love Jihad’ claims and provocative speeches by right-wing leaders, there was a garlanded photo frame of a 21-year-old girl, placed in one corner of her house, and a weeping mother waiting for us at Ballabhgarh.

Twenty-one-year-old Nikta Tomar was shot dead by her stalker in broad daylight outside her college on Monday, 26 October, allegedly after she refused his proposal for marriage.

“I would only go to pick and drop her at her college. That day, even my mother had accompanied me. After dropping her at college, we were waiting at our relative’s house in the neighbourhood. Usually, she would give me a call once her exam ended and I would go pick her up. I would reach in a minute. The accused had chalked out a proper plan, with a ‘katta’ and a car. The moment she came out of her college, the boys tried to force her, abduct her. When they did not succeed, they killed her.”

Naveen Tomar, Elder Brother of Nikita to The Quint

Accused Hails From Political Family, Had Abducted Nikita in 2018

The main accused has been identified as Tauseef, who is a resident of Sohna Road in Gurugram and is currently pursuing a course in physiotherapy, while the other accused has been identified as Rehan, who is a resident of Nuh district of Haryana, the police told news agency IANS.

Nikita’s father, Moolchand, said, “Tauseef knew Nikita from school. She was an extremely bright student and would often be asked to conduct school assembly etc. Tauseef started harassing her since school time but Nikita never accepted any of his advances or proposals.”

Narrating the incident from 2018 when Nikita was abducted by Tauseef, Naveen said, “In 2018, Tauseef had tried to force Nikita to get married to him. She was still in school then. After she went to college, Tauseef had abducted her. We had filed an FIR. The police found her within two hours.”

The family said, in 2018, they had withdrawn the FIR after Nikita was found due to “political pressure” from Tauseef’s family.

Tauseef belongs to a family of influential Congress MLAs and state ministers. His grandfather, Chaudhary Kabir Ahmed, was an MLA from Mewat. Kabir Ahmed’s brother Khurshid Ahmed was an elected member of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha and also a state Cabinet minister. Tauseef’s uncle, Aftab Ahmed, is the sitting Congress MLA from Nuh constituency.

Nikita’s brother, Naveen said:

“That time, there was pressure on us since the accused had political connections. They told us she is a girl, there could be problems in getting her married. They had assured us that their son will never bother my sister anymore. That is why we had withdrawn the FIR.”

“He did not harass her for the last two years after that incident. So we also became relaxed. And now, he did this,” added Naveen.

Claims of ‘Love Jihad’; Police Says ‘No Evidence Yet’

Nikita’s brother and uncle alleged that Tauseef had forced her to “convert to Islam” and get married to him. Cashing in on the claims, several right-wing groups gathered outside the victim’s house on 29 October, clamouring for “justice from Love Jihad.”

Commissioner of Police office in Faridabad and ACP Headquarters, Faridabad Adarshdeep Singh told The Quint, “There has been no evidence of Love Jihad yet. The investigations are ongoing.”

However, leaders of different Hindutva groups like VHP and Karni Sena continued to make provocative, hateful speeches against Muslims in the presence of policemen, outside Nikita Tomar’s house.

Not just hate speeches, which are punishable under the Indian Penal Code, Karni Sena leaders, while speaking to The Quint also threatened violence if Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar did not heed their demands of taking the case to a fast-track court.

When The Quint asked ACP Adarshdeep Singh why none of the policemen were taking any action despite the leaders making such provocative speeches, he said, “When violence happens, we’ll take action.”

He added, “If we find any violation, we will take appropriate action.”

‘Nikita Was Very Bright, Wanted to Join the Defence Forces’

Fondly remembering his younger sister, Naveen said, “She was an extremely bright student. She wanted to finish her BCom and join the forces. I had bought her some books to prepare for it too. She would have aced it, I know.”

Nikita’s mother, who had barely eaten anything since her death, said the only way she can recover from the shock of her loss is when she gets justice. “I just want justice. Whether it is given to my daughter by way of an encounter or a hanging, I don’t care.”