Misinterpretation of a WhatsApp picture cost the senders life as the accused felt he was being challenged.
Luv Johar’s family at their residence in Sonepat. (Photo Courtesy: Gajendra yadav / India Express)
Sonepat, Haryana: 28-year-old Luv Johar was beaten to death on Sunday after sending a picture on a community WhatsApp group. Dinesh Johar aka Bunty is the prime accused in this case and is being held responsible for striking Luv on his head with a log in the Delhi Camp Locality in Sonepat, Haryana.
The picture shows seven of Luv’s brothers and cousins posing on the headboard of a bed. Luv is said to have accidentally sent the picture on the WhatsApp group ‘Johar Family’ where 60 members of the Johar Jewellery community were present. “‘Johar Family’ WhatsApp group, the family says, was formed on March 10 for members of Johar clan, a community of jewellers. Bunty was one of its four administrators. “In January, elders of Johar Samaaj in Sonepat decided that we must form a group. A door-to-door drive was conducted and 2,500 people registered. We had to give R.s 100 and our Aadhaar details. Later, on March 10, a WhatsApp group was formed with 60 male members from the community and we mostly shared ‘forwards’ and invitation to events,” says Kush, Luv’s twin brother,” stated the report in Indian Express.
With three similar ‘Johar Family’ groups on his account, Luv allegedly accidentally sent it to the one with Bunty present in it. “Kavita Johar (40), Luv’s eldest sibling, says the murder was a result of Bunty’s anger over local body elections. “Five years ago, Bunty contested municipal elections, but our family backed his opponent, who won. The municipal elections are a few months away and Bunty formed the WhatsApp group to ensure that no one stands against him this time. But we did not commit to anything and he saw the image of Luv and my other brothers as a challenge,” says Kavita, a cosmetologist,” said the report. It is also believed that the group was formed to take collective decisions on community matters including who to vote for in elections.
After the picture was sent, Bunty asked Luv to meet him at Delhi Camp. Two hours later, Luv had died on the spot after being hit on the head and his other relatives were injured. All the members of the WhatsApp group exited it when a message saying that Luv had died in the hospital was sent.
The report also stated, “On Ajay’s complaint, a case has been registered against six members of Bunty’s family under IPC Sections 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 302 (murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt). “Five teams have been formed to speak to all members of the WhatsApp group. Preliminary investigation shows that it was a fight for dominance in the community. There have been no arrests yet,” said investigating officer Shri Krishan.”
Luv is survived by his wife and nine-month-old son.