Mumbai Police Arrests Accused in 1993 Communal Riots After 30 Years
After eluding capture for three decades, an absconder wanted for attempted murder during the 1993 communal riots in Mumbai has finally been apprehended by the police. Dashrath Ramprasad Rajbhar, now 65 years old, was arrested on Friday after police officials sent him a money order of ₹500 to his listed address in Kalyan, to which he responded with an acknowledgment.
The Wadala police had filed a case in 1993 against Rajbhar and several others for charges including attempt to murder, unlawful assembly, participating in an unlawful assembly armed with deadly weapons, rioting, and being members of an unlawful assembly that caused damage to property. The communal riots, which began in January 1993 and claimed the lives of over 900 people, were triggered by the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992.
According to Sanjay Latkar, DCP of the Port Zone, Rajbhar was among the accused initially arrested in 1993. However, he managed to secure bail and subsequently fled the city, avoiding the court proceedings and trial. Multiple warrants were issued for his arrest, but all efforts to track him down proved futile, leading to his declaration as an absconder by the court.
Despite continuous searches by the police, Rajbhar remained elusive. He had spent some time in Uttar Pradesh before returning to Mumbai and settling in Thane. The police did not have a photograph of him and had been informed by sources that he had passed away. However, lacking a death certificate, the authorities continued their investigation. They even made multiple visits to his native place, Jaunpur, in Uttar Pradesh.
Milind Jadhav, senior police inspector of Wadala police station, explained that the teams reevaluated Rajbhar’s bail and documents and managed to obtain an address for him in Kalyan. The police then sent a money order of ₹500 to this address, and upon receiving an acknowledgement bearing Rajbhar’s signature, they swiftly arrested him.
Rajbhar was produced before the sessions court on Friday and has been remanded in judicial custody. The case registered with the Wadala police station is part of the second phase of communal riots that occurred in Mumbai, following the demolition of the Babri Masjid. These riots claimed the lives of over 900 people, and on March 11, 1993, fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar allegedly orchestrated a series of bomb blasts in the city, killing 257 individuals and injuring around 1,400 others.
This significant arrest marks a breakthrough in holding individuals accountable for their involvement in the 1993 communal riots. The police’s persistence and resourcefulness in seeking out Rajbhar, despite the passage of time, highlight the commitment to ensuring justice for the victims and their families. As the judicial proceedings continue, it is hoped that this arrest will contribute to the closure and healing process for those affected by the riots.
