No End to Travails of Jharkhand Victims of Cow Mob Attack, Medical Treatment Denied: 'You Are Fine Now'

NEW DELHI: More than a week after four Christian Adivasis were attacked and lynched by cow vigilantes, the victims who survived the attack have been left isolated and terrified by the state government and local administration. They do not just have criminal cases slapped against them, but now find that even the necessary medical attention is being denied.

The government hospital Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences discharged them, asking them to leave even before they had recovered from the injuries inflicted on them by the assaulting mob.

The family has had to shift the three victims of the attack Januish Minz, Peter Pahujans, and Bleasus Tirkya to a private hospital Ranchis Debuka Nursing home as a result.. The three were initially admitted to the government hospital on April 11.

Januish’s brother, Albez Minz, said that the government hospital authorities wanted the three to leave even though they had not recovered from their injuries. Also there was not adequate security for them.

“We had to bring the victims to the private hospital after the doctors at the government hospital discharged them even before they had not recovered. We made a plea to the district administration but they did not pay heed to it. We had no option than to shift them to the private hospital for treatment,” Minz told the Citizen.

“After being brought to the private hospital, they are still need blood. The doctors here are now keeping them under close watch,” Minz said.

infused blood. Doctors at the private hospital have still kept them under close watch. “

When contacted by The Citizen the hospital authorities at the nursing home said that the patients were far from recovered and have multiple fractures as a result of the attack. They have also lost blood and continue to need infusions.

“All the three are out of danger but still need adequate treatment before they recover completely. Three or four units of blood has been infused but they might need more. They also have several fractures which will take time to be heal. They are far from being recovered,” the hospital authorities told The Citizen over phone.

The Superintendent of Police Anjani Kumar Jha however was not available to comment on this. The Citizen could not reach him despite several attempts.

The victims and their families however, are not just worried about their recovery from the hospital but also that after being discharged they will have to run pillar to post to fight the case of cow slaughter registered against them.

The three admitted in the hospital undergoing treatment right now were attacked by cow vigilantes in Dumri village of Gumla district in Jharkhand April 10.

Commenting on the spree of lynching in this country, senior Human Rights activist John Dayal said that the intention is multiple, to polarise society and disenfranchise the minority community by instilling deep fear into them.

“This is not the first incident of lynching of a Christian in Jharkhand, an incident took place in 2017 as well. This indifference of the state government and local administration towards the victims demonstrates that it’s a political project carried out at the behest of those gaining from it. “Dayal said.

“ These incidents primarily serves two purpose among many others, first being the polarization and when chances of polarization are bleak, they use it for scaring the minority community and disenfranchising them from entitlements. It’s used as a tool to kill the morale of entire communities,” he added.