The post-mortem analysis of Ram Narayan, a Dalit migrant worker from Chhattisgarh who was lynched by a mob in Walayar, Palakkad district, Kerala, has highlighted the severe brutality of the attack. Dr. Hithesh Shankar, who conducted the autopsy at Thrissur Government Medical College Hospital, reported that Ram Narayan’s body bore injuries throughout, including shattered ribs and a broken spine; most injuries appeared to have been inflicted with sticks. Dr. Shankar remarked, “I have conducted more than 10,000 post-mortem examinations, but I have never seen a body subjected to such severe violence.” The cause of death was identified as severe head injury.
Ram Narayan is survived by his wife, two children, and mother. He arrived in Walayar approximately a week prior to his death, seeking work and reconnecting with his cousin, Sasikanth, a local mason. Sasikanth mentioned that Ram Narayan had intended to return home as he was struggling with being away from his family. He left for the railway station on December 17, and the family learned of his death the following day when contacted by the Walayar police. Ram Narayan had identification with his name and address.
His wife, mother, and children have traveled from Chhattisgarh to Kerala following his death. Human rights activists in Kerala have alleged a concerted effort to downplay the severity of the killing and are demanding that the incident be formally classified as mob lynching. During a protest in Thrissur, activists expressed that Kerala’s societal conscience has been adversely affected by growing hatred.
Activists, alongside Ram Narayan’s family, have stated that they will not allow the body to be transported home unless the case is officially recorded as mob lynching and appropriate compensation is provided. They have insisted that the State must assume responsibility for delivering justice and dignity in this case.
Emphasizing the victim’s marginalized status as a Dalit youth who migrated for work, activists highlighted the concerning trend of communalism permeating Kerala’s public consciousness. Writer and thinker K. Aravindakshan remarked on a video showing Ram Narayan being assaulted and questioned about being from Bangladesh, labeling it as evidence of increasing Islamophobia in Kerala and intolerance linked to the Sangh Parivar.
“This brutal killing in Kerala, with minimal vocal opposition, raises deep concerns about the state of dialogue in society,” he noted. Human rights activist I. Gopinath described the incident as a manifestation of mob violence led by the Sangh Parivar, underscoring the tragic reality that the victim likely did not comprehend the motives behind his death.
Activists alleged that authorities were attempting to characterize the Walayar incident as a routine crime rather than a serious civil violation. They reiterated their demands for it to be categorized as mob lynching to ensure justice for Ram Narayan. Additionally, they criticized police actions regarding ambulance fees that were supposedly imposed on the victim’s family when transporting his body for the post-mortem examination.
On Thursday night, police arrested five local individuals—Anu (38), Prasad (34), Murali (38), Anandan (55), and Bipin (30)—in connection with the lynching, and they have since been remanded to judicial custody. Notably, four accused individuals are reported to have affiliations with the BJP and RSS. Investigators have uncovered previous violent crime connections involving two of the suspects, Murali and Anu, related to past assaults on individuals associated with the DYFI and CITU, as well as another ongoing case against Murali concerning an attack on a CITU worker.
The post “10,000 autopsies, never saw this violence; no part of body untouched”: Doctor on Dalit migrant lynching in Kerala; accused linked with BJP–RSS was published by Maktoob Media.
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