09-25-2010, 09:27 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-25-2010, 09:29 AM by G.Subramaniam.)
http://news.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/s...contentTop
It all started on the night of September 3, the third Friday in the month of Ramazan.
Here's what happened, verified from multiple sources, which both communities and the police do not dispute:
1. After evening prayers, Muslims noticed some cow dung splattered on the walls of the Danipura mosque.
2. Youngsters took up the issue with the Gujjar community (Milk is their main business) that lives alongside the mosque. (A few days ago a Gujjar resident had called the police station complaining about loud noise from the mosque.)
3. The issue was sorted between the two communities with the help of the police around 9:30 pm.
4. But half an hour later, some youngsters started gathering in groups and a small police party including Superintendent of Police, Mayank Jain, District Magistrate Rajendra Sharma, with a couple of armed escorts reached the spot.
5. As the Muslims began advancing towards the small police party, the officers fended off the mob and called for reinforcements.
6. The mob torched about 40 vehicles, including those of the police and presspersons. A small temple was also set on fire.
7. A small Hindu mob also armed with swords and firearms had also formed by then, and started targeting and damaging Muslim property.
8. As extra forces arrived, they first cordoned off the area. This took some time, and around 2 am, September 4, when the forces began a search operation in the neighbourhood to apprehend the miscreants, they entered a mosque in Sheranipura, one of the bigger mosques in the locality.
Following this, there was an announcement from the mosque: 'Muslims, come out, with scarves tied around your head. Islam is in danger.'
9. This led to a few thousand Muslims assembling, some brandishing swords and others carrying firearms. (The police videographed the mob) As the police fired in the air, the mob retaliated.
10. The forces then push back the mob, and started making arrests.
11. The search operation lasted the whole of next day, when more arrests were made.
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The worst thing about the incident is that it became an issue of Muslims versus the administration.
"The first thing one must understand about this incident is the numbers. It is conveniently said that thousands attacked. During Ramzan, every mosque will have about 500 to 700 people offering prayers there. There are at least 10 mosques in the area. So, while it is true that people did indeed assemble in the thousands, most of them were merely praying. They were not armed," said Asif Ali, the Shahar Kazi (a judge in the shariah. In India, it is only titular).
Senior police officers in private, admit that the number people armed with swords would not have been more than in the double digits.
"Even the firing from that side, it would not have been more than 8, 10 rounds," said an officer who was at the forefront in quelling the situation.
"The second thing," the Kazi said, "we accept that someone opened fire from the mob. But any community will have notorious elements. The police should arrest them. Instead they have taken away absolutely innocent people and are telling the community, you hand over the miscreants and we will release these people."
"Isn't it their duty to find out the culprits, especially considering that they have video evidence?" Asif Ali asked. "Also, I took a photograph that appeared on the front page of Dainik Bhaskar (the widely circulated newspaper) on September 5, that showed a Hindu mob, with swords and firearms. Why were they not arrested?"
It all started on the night of September 3, the third Friday in the month of Ramazan.
Here's what happened, verified from multiple sources, which both communities and the police do not dispute:
1. After evening prayers, Muslims noticed some cow dung splattered on the walls of the Danipura mosque.
2. Youngsters took up the issue with the Gujjar community (Milk is their main business) that lives alongside the mosque. (A few days ago a Gujjar resident had called the police station complaining about loud noise from the mosque.)
3. The issue was sorted between the two communities with the help of the police around 9:30 pm.
4. But half an hour later, some youngsters started gathering in groups and a small police party including Superintendent of Police, Mayank Jain, District Magistrate Rajendra Sharma, with a couple of armed escorts reached the spot.
5. As the Muslims began advancing towards the small police party, the officers fended off the mob and called for reinforcements.
6. The mob torched about 40 vehicles, including those of the police and presspersons. A small temple was also set on fire.
7. A small Hindu mob also armed with swords and firearms had also formed by then, and started targeting and damaging Muslim property.
8. As extra forces arrived, they first cordoned off the area. This took some time, and around 2 am, September 4, when the forces began a search operation in the neighbourhood to apprehend the miscreants, they entered a mosque in Sheranipura, one of the bigger mosques in the locality.
Following this, there was an announcement from the mosque: 'Muslims, come out, with scarves tied around your head. Islam is in danger.'
9. This led to a few thousand Muslims assembling, some brandishing swords and others carrying firearms. (The police videographed the mob) As the police fired in the air, the mob retaliated.
10. The forces then push back the mob, and started making arrests.
11. The search operation lasted the whole of next day, when more arrests were made.
Prev Next
The worst thing about the incident is that it became an issue of Muslims versus the administration.
"The first thing one must understand about this incident is the numbers. It is conveniently said that thousands attacked. During Ramzan, every mosque will have about 500 to 700 people offering prayers there. There are at least 10 mosques in the area. So, while it is true that people did indeed assemble in the thousands, most of them were merely praying. They were not armed," said Asif Ali, the Shahar Kazi (a judge in the shariah. In India, it is only titular).
Senior police officers in private, admit that the number people armed with swords would not have been more than in the double digits.
"Even the firing from that side, it would not have been more than 8, 10 rounds," said an officer who was at the forefront in quelling the situation.
"The second thing," the Kazi said, "we accept that someone opened fire from the mob. But any community will have notorious elements. The police should arrest them. Instead they have taken away absolutely innocent people and are telling the community, you hand over the miscreants and we will release these people."
"Isn't it their duty to find out the culprits, especially considering that they have video evidence?" Asif Ali asked. "Also, I took a photograph that appeared on the front page of Dainik Bhaskar (the widely circulated newspaper) on September 5, that showed a Hindu mob, with swords and firearms. Why were they not arrested?"