Watch: Rajasthan man strangulated to death after he refused Holi colours

A 25-year-old man was strangled to death by a gang celebrating Holi after he refused to let them apply colours on him.

The incident occurred on Thursday, March 13, in the Ralwas village in Rajasthan’s Dausa district. The deceased, Hansraj, was studying in a library prepping for an upcoming competitive examination.

CCTV footage of the incident shows Hansraj making his way out of the way when he is approached by the group who try to smear Holi colours on him.

When he refuses, Hansraj is dragged inside the library by the men who proceed to thrash him. One of them then strangulates Hansraj to death. They then fled the scene.

The surveillance camera shows people in the library trying to intervene to no avail. When people try to check on Hansraj, he shows no response.  

Following his death, Hansraj’s family and members of his village staged a protest blocking the national highway. The protest continued until 1 am on Thursday.

Netizens react on Hansraj death

A huge uproar rose on social media platforms where netizens condemned the murder.

One X user asked, “Where are we heading as a society – no tolerance at all”

Another X user said, “Radicals are a threat to everyone. Hindu radicals, Muslim radicals, Sikh radicals, or any other form of radicalism. Once a mindset develops that “my way of thinking is the only way of life, and others must follow it,” it becomes a threat. Degree of this mindset varies.”

Another X user said, “Festivals are meant for joy, not force. Hansraj’s murder shows that the real issue is mentality, not religion. Criminals are criminals—no religion justifies such acts! Justice must prevail, and the culprits should face strict punishment.”

Another X user said, “This is hindutva mentality. Kill kill kill. Indian culture is evil and promotes lying cheating scamming raping murdering nepotistic ways of being Indian. This is anther example. Stop being Indian. Balkanize India so that maybe a few countries emerge built on trust and decency with environment friendly policies.”