On Monday, around 16 people were arrested by the Maharashtra Police in Hingoli district for pelting stones at a Hindu businessman. As per the initial reports, a mob of around 40-50 Islamists attacked a businessman identified as Kailash Kabra and pelted stones at his residence and commercial premise alleging him of conducting an alleged ‘blasphemous’ act against Islam.
The attackers claimed that Kabra forwarded an ‘objectionable’ message on WhatsApp against Islam. The incident is believed to have happened on Sunday, 15th December after which a huge mob gathered around Kabra’s shop in the Mondha region and pelted stones at his premises.
OpIndia obtained the FIR copy in the incident in which it has been mentioned that Kabra allegedly insulted Islam by sharing a video on WhatsApp with a caption that read, “Jihad ends in Netherlands. Mohammed should be presented as a cartoon throughout the country. Those who want Shariah law in India should run away from here. This is the most important message for everybody.”
Following this Kabra was booked under sections 196, 299, 351(4), 356(2), and 356(3) of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita, 2023 based on a complaint filed by one of the Islamists identified as Mohammed Hasham Khan Afzal. In the complaint, Afzal mentioned that Kabra had allegedly insulted the community by making derogatory remarks against the Prophet.
As per information obtained by OpIndia, Islamists in the locality got enraged over the forwarded message and conducted massive protests in the region calling for a ‘Basmat bandh’. Meanwhile, protesters could also be heard raising the slogans of ‘Allah-hu-Akhbar’ and ‘Gustakh-e-Nabi ki ek hi Saja, Sar Tan Se Juda’.
The police were eventually informed about the stone-pelting, following which the force reached the spot to control the situation. Amid this, several people got injured in the incident including Vasmat Sub-Divisional Police Police Officer (SDPO) Rajkumar Kendre.
“A mob of 50 persons hurled stones at a shop and were moving towards the residence of businessman Kailash Kabra to vandalize it. Kabra allegedly forwarded an objectionable WhatsApp message about Islam. Kendre sustained injuries when he and his team tried to stop the stone pelting. The additional force was sent to the site and police carried out a cane charge,” one of the officials said.
An FIR in the case has been filed under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for an attempt to murder, riot, and voluntarily cause hurt to deter a public servant from his duty. FIR was filed after Kendre filed a complaint, a copy of which has been obtained by OpIndia.
Based on the complaint filed by Kendre, around 12 Islamists identified as Sheikh Mohsin Sheikh Hasan, Khalid Akhtar Jameer Ahmed, Sheikh Arbaz Sheikh Mehmood, Sheikh Nadeem Sheikh Moin, Mohammed Shoaib Mohammed Maksood, Musharaf Kajoloddin Faruqi, Mohammed Sohail Mohammed Maksood, Sheikh Ajeem Sheikh Moin, Arbaaz Sheikh, Junaid, Aarfaat Sheikh and Sayyed Javed Sayyed Khanja have been booked. The sections imposed against these are 109, 121(1), 132, 189(2), 190, 191(2), 191(3) of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita, 2023; 135 of Maharashtra Police Act, 1951, and also section 7 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1932.
As per the FIR, the Islamists also threatened the police as the latter reached the spot to control the situation. The Islamists gathered around Kabra’s home and began pelting stones at the closed shutter of his shop at around 1:30 pm on Sunday. After an hour or so, the police reached the spot after being informed about the chaos.
“We reached with a huge force as we were told that around 50 or more Islamists were pelting stones at Kabra’s residence. On arrival, we asked them the reason for the attack. But instead of responding to the authorities, they threatened the Police asking the force to return,” SDPO Kendre said in the complaint.
The Islamists threatened the police saying they would kill the officers and burn their vehicles if they failed to return. “We suffered severe injuries on our head, back, and arms, as they continued to pelt stones even on the officers,” Kendre added.
Reports suggest that eight persons were detained by the police from the spot and the other eight were arrested following the search operation.
While investigations are underway, all the efforts are being made to nab other 20 persons involved in stone pelting. Probe underway.
