While Muslim youth Arbaz Aftab Mulla is believed to have been killed on 28 September, for allegedly being in a relationship with a Hindu woman, his mother told The Quint that the youth was constantly under threat from the right-wing outfit Sri Ram Sene.
A leader of Sri Ram Sene, Pundalik Maharaj, even threatened to douse him and her with acid, the mother said.
“Since a long time Arbaz was getting frequent threat calls. From the girl too I heard that Ram Sene people would kill him. I had heard her say it,” Nazeema Mohammed Gouse Sheik said. She said that three months before the alleged killing, Mulla and she had met the accused Pundalik Maharaj and Prashant Bijre.
'Come to Meet Us: Sri Ram Sene'
The accused asked Mulla to go to Khanapur, near Belagavi she said.
"As he was getting such threat calls since long, I cut the call and checked. The number was saved as Ram Sene Adhyaksh Maharaj. I asked my son why he called him. He told me that they have been calling him frequently and have now asked him to go for a meeting with them. He said he was afraid. He said he does not want to go. He said they will kill him,” Sheikh said.
Mulla was a resident of Belagavi. His family had shifted to Belagavi from Khanapur because of constant threats from Ram Sene, his family accused. The woman, with whom Mulla was allegedly in a relationship is from Khanapur. Belagavi police is investigating the case.
The mother further said, “As we were about to reach Khanapur from Belgaum (Belagavi) in the bus, my son called Adhyaksh Maharaj. He then told him that there are 1,000 people waiting for him at the circle. He should get down at the bridge before the circle, he instructed my son. We waited for them at that stop. They came – Rama Sene’s Maharaj and someone named Prashan and an intermediary from our community named Ali Rangari.”
'Deleted Photos of the Woman'
The Ram Sene leaders were acting as vigilantes who accused Mulla of threatening the woman. Her father is believed to have roped in the Sene leaders to put an end to the relationship.
“Maharaj first said that all the photos of the girl should be deleted from his phone. They deleted the photos one by one. Then they broke his phone’s sim card in front of me. Then the Ram Sene Adhyaksh said that there are already 40 (police) cases on him and if he wants, he could even pour acid on us,” Sheikh said.
On the day that Mulla went missing, he had called his mother, she said.
“He called me around 3.30 sec. He kept asking whether I got threat calls. When you come back take an autorickshaw and come. Bring me briyani, he said. He said he would have it with me."
Mulla seemed worried but had left home safe, she added. “On 28 September, my son had left home fine. When he was leaving he was wearing a skull cap. He said he was going for Namaz. Till he crossed the gate, he was fine.”
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