After an alleged bike thief Tabrez Ansari was caught and beaten up by a mob in Dhatkidih, Jharkhand and died some days later in police custody, protests and politicisation over his death have been continuing in several areas.
As per reports, after protests in one locality of Meerut on Sunday where the police had to resort to lathi charge to control the situation, violent protests broke out in Mawana area yesterday.
As per reports, on Sunday, hundreds of protesters had gathered on Sunday evening near Faiz-e-Azam college protesting against the alleged mob lynching of Tabrez Ansari in Jharkhand. The police had to lathi charge on the gathered people to control the situation as the mob had started stone pelting. the police had stated that no permissions were sought for the gathering and protests.
On Monday, in Meerut’s Mawana area, hundreds of people had gathered near the Mosque at Mill road to hear Maulana Nafees Ahmed, who had organised a meeting for the members of Muslim community over the death of Tabrez Ansari. As a crowd of several hundred gathered near the Mosque to hear the Maulana’s speech, soon they started altercations with the police. The police had to lathi charge again to disperse the crowd.
As per reports, in Mawana, the protestors were demanding that the alleged bike thief Tabrez be declared a martyr and his family is compensated adequately. The police have suspended internet services in the area to curb rumour mongering. So far, the police have registered FIRs against 850(50 named and 800 unnamed) people over Monday’s violent protests.
Violent protests were being mobilised in Agra too. As per reports, on Monday, several Muslim groups took out protests in Agra demanding justice for Tabrez Ansari. Like in Meerut, the protests had begun after a gathering at the Royal Jama Masjid. The protests were reportedly organised by Indian Muslim Action Committee and Bharatiya Vikas Parishad.
Despite the implementation of section 144 of the CrPC and police presence, one section of Muslim protestors soon turned violent and proceeded towards the city’s Sadar Bhatti and Kashmiri Gate areas where they tried to shut down the local market. The police have stated that no permissions were sought for the gatherings and protests.
Hindu shop owners in the market reportedly opposed the call to shut down shops. Following which, the Muslim mob started stone pelting in the area. As the situation deteriorated, the police had to intervene and disperse the crowd. Several platoons of police forces have been deployed to avoid any violence and law and order situation.
Several areas in Agra, reportedly, Sadar Bhatti, Nal Ki Mandi, Subhash Bazar, Mantola, Fawwara, and Kinari Bazar remained closed due to stone pelting incidents. SSP Joginder Kumar has assured that the rioters will be identified and strict action will be taken against them.
Tabrez Ansari was caught by the locals in the Dhatkidih village in Jharkhand on suspicion of bike theft on 18 June. He was beaten up by them before being arrested by the police. He had died on June 22. An investigation team set up by the government had concluded that Tabrez might have died due to stress-induced cardiac arrest. Medical reports had established that no internal injury was found on Tabrez’s body, hence the police had dismissed the allegations that ‘mob-lynching’ was a cause of Tabrez’s death.