New Delhi: Over two dozen Muslim men have been taken into custody in Muzaffarnagar’s Purbaliyan village for allegedly causing communal clashes on August 21 and 24. The arrest of 27 men from the community, three charged under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), was the consequence of a fight during a cricket match between local youths about a month ago.
Purbaliyan in Uttar Pradesh is among the villages that saw skirmishes during the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots.
According to Indian Express, while Hindu Pal community members have claimed to be at the receiving end of violence, those from the Muslim community have alleged that the police action was one-sided. Some claim they were either arbitrarily picked up while others say they were pressurised to surrender.
Events leading up to the arrests
The Indian Express quoted Mansoorpur SHO K.P.S. Chahal informing that on August 21, a fight broke out between a few “Muslim and Hindu boys” in which a Muslim boy was injured. Some Muslims from the village thereafter went to the residence of one Hindu boy and allegedly assaulted some family members.
The incident sparked clashes that continued for over several days between the two communities, according to the Times of India. “It was just a small fight between kids with little communal overtones but was made to look like a big communal clash in order to settle scores with the minority community,” former village pradhan Shakar Ali told the English daily, further alleging that no action had been taken against the “majority community.”
An FIR was filed on August 21 by one Sumit Pal against a dozen minority men under Section 452 (house-trespass in order to hurt), 147 (rioting), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 427 (causing damage) of the IPC. According to Chahal, a complaint was filed, however, the villagers decided to deal with the dispute after Eid.
Two days later, on August 24, one Shamsher Ahmad claimed his domestic help was beaten up by two masked men. Suspecting them to be Hindus, “He collected a large group to attack them. Luckily, an inspector was at the spot and the attack was averted,” Chahal added.
Another FIR was later filed the same day against 25 people under Sections 153A in addition to the charges included in the previous complaint. While Shamsher’s brother has blamed right-wing groups for attacking the domestic help, there are also allegations that it was a ploy to counter the original FIR. Eight men were arrested on August 24. Others surrendered in the following days.
According to Indian Express, Shalu, sister of Sumit Kumar, in whose name both FIRs have been filed, said that a group of Muslim youths beat her brother and when she tried to help him, she also received injuries. “The issue could have been resolved by 3 pm on August 24, but before that, some 100-150 of them, including children, came to our home and assaulted even a police inspector who was there to take my report,” she alleged.
Charges of NSA
On September 16, NSA was invoked against Shamsher; and against his nephews Mehboob and Aftab three days later. The police said around ten people involved in the clashes are still absconding.
Rajeev Kumar Singh, circle officer, Khatauli, was quoted by Times of India as saying that the domestic help had confessed to being prompted by his employer Shamsher to act like a victim so that a counter FIR could be filed. This, he argued, justified charging him under NSA.
According to Indian Express, families of those who have been taken into custody have, however, denied perpetrating the violence.
BJP MP from Muzaffarnagar Sanjeev Balyan, who visited the area on August 25, had said, “Such severe action will be taken that no one will have the courage to misbehave like this…the NSA will be pressed against primary offenders…”