Mumbai: Saffron turbans, a saffron flag and a plaque proclaiming the saffron to be the country’s flag, instead of the tricolour, were on display this week in Maharashtra’s Jamner town at a procession organised by the Hindutva outfit, Shiv Pratisthan Hindustan.

Its flag-bearers? Police officials in uniform investigating the outfit’s role in the lynching of a Muslim youth. 

Less than two months ago, the town had seen a mob, consisting of men with links to the Shiv Pratisthan, allegedly lynch 20-year-old Muslim youth Suleman Pathan to death. The outfit is led by the controversial Hindutva leader Sambhaji Bhide, known for delivering inflammatory, Islamophobic speeches, and has been under the scanner for its role in the killing. 

On Dussehra, these police officials – including the original investigating officer in the probe – turned processionists in the march. The procession consisted of thousands of Shiv Pratisthan members, marching with tridents, swords, lathis, and saw them often breaking into anti-Muslim slogans. One clip shows the volunteers shouting slogans like, Durga ban, tu Kali ban, kabhi na burkhe wali ban (Become Durga, or even Kali, but never become a Muslim woman).

The original investigating officer in Pathan’s case, Murlidhar Kasar, led the procession at one point.

Their presence has raised questions about the neutrality of the investigation and their ability to conduct a thorough, impartial probe into the outfit’s role. The outfit is led by the controversial Hindutva leader Sambhaji Bhide, known for his Islamophobic hate speeches. 

There has been no official statement from the Maharashtra police or state government regarding the officers’ participation in the event as of this report.

‘Anti-constitutional, anti-national outfit’

Bhide’s outfit has publicly stated its opposition to the Indian tricolour being the country’s national........

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