On Friday, the Maharashtra Police booked an FIR against 10 identified Muslim persons and other unidentified persons for brutally attacking a Hindu activist named Pradyumn Chaudhari alias Sonu with iron rods and sharp weapons in the Mahur region of the Nanded district. The accused persons also threatened the activist after he tried to stop the sacrifice of bulls on the occasion of Bakrid on June 29.
The accused persons have been identified as Salim Qureshi, Babu Thekedar, Asif Hasan, Salim Autowala, Anis, Shoaib Sheikh, Ejaz, Sohail Sheikh, Moin and Sanjay. These 10 and other unidentified persons have been booked under section 307, 395 of the Indian Penal Code and under section 5A, 5B of the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act, 1976 and also under section 11(1)(d) of the Animal Cruelty Act, 1960
As per the FIR copy obtained by OpIndia, the incident is said to have happened yesterday ie June 29 at around 6:30 pm. The victim was informed by an unidentified person over a phone call that Muslims in the Tipu Sultan Chowk area of Nanded were planning to sacrifice a pair of bulls on the occasion of Bakrid. Sonu then reached the spot with his friend and began inquiring about the matter. Meanwhile, he also called up the Mahur Police Station for help.
On inquiring, Sonu learned that the bulls were purchased by one Salim Qureshi and that he was going to slaughter them on Bakrid. Later Salim Qureshi reached the spot and also called other community members for help.
As per the FIR, one of the accused persons identified as Salim Autowala could be heard saying, “It’s too much now. He’s (Sonu) way more interfering in our matter. Let’s just finish him.” After this, the accused persons attacked the victim with an iron rod and sharp weapons. Many Muslims had gathered at the spot and ran away after they saw the Mahur police approaching.
Meanwhile, someone also snatched away the gold chain Sonu was wearing while he was being attacked. The Police took cognizance of the incident and tried to pacify the matter. The Hindu activist was also immediately taken to the hospital and is being treated under professional medical care.
Atish Shankar Rathod, a friend of Sonu who filed the complaint in the case stated that Sonu had been on target of the accused Muslim persons. Sonu had posted some Facebook posts recently which had irked the Muslims. Also accused Shoaib and Sonu had engaged in a short brawl a few days ago and so the former was already pissed off at the latter.
Gaurakshak was murdered in Kinwat, Nanded on June 19
Earlier, a similar case was reported from Kinwat taluka in Maharashtra’s Nanded district where around 8 gaurakshaks were brutally attacked by Muslims with sharp weapons and sticks on the night of June 19 killing one and injuring five. The accused had been booked under sections 302, 307, 143, 147, 148, 159, and 427 of the IPC and sections 4 and 7 of the Arms Act.
The victims were attacked while they stopped a car on suspicion of beef transport. Around 15-20 Muslims got down the car and then attacked the Hindu activists. Later the police arrested Sheikh Isaak Sheikh Chand (38), Sheikh Amer Sheikh Alim (30), Sheikh Mujahid Sheikh Isak (22) and Sheikh Mujemir Sheikh Fayaz (23) in the case.
Cow protection has been painted as a ‘communal’ issue where gaurakshaks are depicted as rogue groups that attack ‘innocent’ Muslims transporting cows to slaughterhouses.
The government has imposed a ban on cow slaughter as per the Animal Welfare Act. In spite of this, numerous cows, bullocks, cattle, and other animals are smuggled across Telangana state at night in both large and small vehicles from the state of Maharashtra.
In the given case, the police has booked around 10 persons for launching an attack on a Hindu activist who initiate to protect the bulls scheduled to be slaughtered on the occasion of Bakrid. Further investigations in the case are underway.