In Siddharthnagar, Uttar Pradesh, a wedding function of a Hindu family came under attack by a mob of Islamist miscreants. They assaulted the victims after the members of the Hindu family confronted them and asked them not to take photos and videos of the women attending the wedding. The accused in this case have been identified as Naved, Aftab, Saddam, Naushad, Salman, Iltaf, Haroon, Afzal, Ilyas, and Israr.
All of them are accused of taking photographs and recording videos of Hindu women attending the wedding. When family members and relatives of the Hindu side confronted and asked them not to record photos and videos of the women attendees, they started verbally abusing the victims. Later, they launched an attack on them when the Barat was near a local temple. The incident took place on Sunday (21st April 2024).
Many people including a minor girl suffered injuries in the attack. The accused who assaulted the wedding attendees lodged a cross-FIR a day after the Hindu victims filed a complaint in this matter. Police have taken action against both sides in this case. OpIndia has gathered information about the case which has revealed that some of the miscreants involved in the recent attack had earlier been involved in desecrating a religious pandal of the Hindu community. Two of them are accused of uprooting the flag that was installed in the Maa Durga pandal last year and urinating on it.
The attack on the wedding function of the Hindu community
The case that sparked communal tension pertains to the Dhebarua police station area of Siddharthnagar. On 21st April, a wedding procession (Barat) was slated to start from the house of Purnamasi Vishwakarma who hails from the OBC community in Mujhna village. Traditionally, all these wedding processions in the region take blessings from the local Ram Janaki temple. At around 8:30 PM, Naved, Aftab, Saddam, Naushad, Salman, Iltaf, Haroon, Ilyas, and Israr started taking photographs and recording videos of Hindu women who were part of the wedding function.
When the male attendees of the Barat protested against their acts, they got enranged and started abusing and assaulting the wedding attendees with sticks. The attack led to a stampede-kind situation in the Barat. Arjun Vishwakarma and a minor girl got injured in the attack. Hearing the commotion, when villagers started gathering at the spot, the attackers ran away after threatening to kill the wedding attendees.
In the complaint, the victim has pointed out that the attackers are rowdy elements. The victim’s mobile phone also got damaged in the attack. The complainant, Purnamasi has demanded strict action against all the culprits.
Following the complaint, the Police lodged an FIR against Naved, Aftab, Saddam, Naushad, Salman, Iltaf, Haroon, Afzal, Ilyas and Israr under sections 147, 323, 504, 506 and 427 of the IPC. OpIndia has accessed the complaint copy. It is being said that the police reached the village and sent off the wedding procession. Meanwhile, the injured victims were undergoing treatment.
A day later, the Muslim side lodged an FIR
One of the victims, Purnamasi Vishwakarma filed the complaint on 21st April at around 10:30 pm. Based on the complaint, the FIR named 10 attackers involved in the incident. While the police were still investigating the case, around 20 hours later, on 22nd April 2024 at around 6 pm, the Muslim side also reached the police station claiming themselves to be victims. Subsequently, Aftab Azam Khan lodged an FIR against Lavkush Pal, Radheshyam, and Rampal. He accused them of assaulting his brother Naved over the issue of taking photographs. It is pertinent to note that Naved is an accused named in Purnamasi’s complaint.
Following Aftab’s complaint, the police registered an FIR against Lavkush, Radheshyam, and Rampal under sections 323, 504, and 506 of the IPC. OpIndia has accessed a copy of this complaint as well.
Our religious site falls in their area
OpIndia spoke to a resident of Mujhna village. On the condition of anonymity, the villager revealed that the Hindu temple is located in that part of the village which falls under the Muslim-dominated area. Hindus pass through the Muslim settlement while going to that temple during all their festivals, celebrations, weddings, etc. It is alleged that during these times, the women of their homes are not only abused but attempts are also made to molest them.
Describing himself as a victim, the villager stated that such incidents have occurred multiple times in the past with Hindus, but they lacked the courage to file a complaint in this regard.
Police have taken action against both sides
OpIndia called the police station in-charge of Dhebarua for the Police’s stand in this matter. SHO said that based on the complaints, the accused named by both parties were arrested. Action has been taken against all of them under section 151. They told OpIndia that the sections mentioned in the FIR attract a punishment of less than 7 years. Currently, the situation is normal in the village.
Accusations of uprooting a flag from the Maa Durga pandal and then urinating on it
Out of the 10 accused who attacked the wedding procession at Purnamasi Vishwakarma’s house on 21st April 2024, two were booked last year in a separate incident. Notably, two of the miscreants were accused of urinating on the flag of Maa Durga’s pandal last year.
On 20th October 2023, Rakesh Pal along with Purushottam, Janardan, Rishi, Vishal, Ravi, and Ajay Sharma, locals of Mujhana village, lodged a complaint with the police. According to the complaint, Israr and Salman were accused of entering a pandal of Sthapati Maa Durga and then uprooting, tearing the saffron flag, and later urinating on it.
The pandal was established as per the rituals on the occasion of Sharadiya Navratri. Apart from Salman and Israr, other accused named in the complaint include Hameed, Rehman, and Haider.
It is pertinent to note that Mujhna village is Muslim dominated. OpIndia spoke to one of the complainants of that case. He told OpIndia that at that time no action was taken against the accused and they were left after a mere apology.