The Crime Branch Unit of the Delhi Police Monday (September 19) arrested former Samajwadi Party MLA Kishore Samrite from his residence at Palace Arched Colony in Kolar, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The former MLA had allegedly threatened to blow up the Parliament House if his demands are not fulfilled by September 30. The police arrested Kishore under sections 286, and 506 of the IPC, 5 and 9B of the Explosives act and Prevention of Insult to National Honours act.
Delhi Police’s Crime Branch arrested an ex-MLA Kishore Samrite from Bhopal. Case was registered against him after he sent a packet containing gelatin sticks,national flags to Parliament House & threatened to blow up Parliament House if his demands were not fulfilled before Sep 30
Interestingly, the ex-MLA has been associated with several parties like Congress, BSP, and SP in the past.
According to the police, Samrite allegedly sent a package containing gelatine sticks and a national flag along with the threat letter to Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members on Saturday. In the letter, he made 70 demands and threatened to blow up Parliament if those demands were not met by September 30.
According to reports, the court granted transit remand of Samrite to the Delhi Crime Branch, which held him from his house in Kolar after the state police were duly informed about his actions. Samrite was then produced in a local court before being brought to Delhi on transit remand, where he was produced before the court today.
“Delhi Police’s Crime Branch arrested ex-MLA Kishore Samrite from Bhopal. He wrote letters to LS & RS members. Along with the letter, there were gelatin sticks in the packet. He threatened to blow up Parliament on Sep 30 if his demands weren’t fulfilled,” Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav told ANI.
Delhi Police’s Crime Branch arrested ex-MLA Kishore Samrite from Bhopal. He wrote letters to LS & RS members. Along with the letter, there were gelatin sticks in the packet. He threatened to blow up Parliament on Sep 30 if his demands weren’t fulfilled: R Yadav, Spl CP, Crime/EoW pic.twitter.com/SyIQmB9O9N
Yadav added, “A case was registered against him. He is a party hopper and has been associated with several parties like NSUI, Congress, BSP & SP. Now he has constituted his own party. Our team went to Bhopal and arrested him. He will be presented to the court today.”
Meanwhile, Amit Goel, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (crime) told TNIE, “He marked the copies of the letter by name to the Security General of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. He sent such threat for gaining publicity.”
According to police, Samrite, who is the president of the Samyukta Kranti Party, has 17 criminal cases registered against him.
Kishore Samrite was a student leader from the NSUI and later, he joined the Janta Dal. In 2007, he joined the Samajwadi Party and won the by-election from the Lanji constituency of Madhya Pradesh on its ticket. He also submitted a request to the Election Commission seeking registration for his election party “Sanyukta Kranti”.
In the past, the accused has been known to make such bizarre demands. In 2019, he sought the electoral commission to give him 75 lakh or give him permission to sell his kidney to cover election campaign expenditures.
Speaking about the ex-MLA’s past endeavours, Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav said, “Samrite has threatened leaders such asRahul Gandhiand Raj Thackeray. A special court even awarded him a punishment of five years in a case. He is doing this to gain publicity and has sent packages to the security general of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha… We have taken cognisance of all such incidents.”
Days after Tamil Nadu Waqf Board claimed ownership of 7 Hindu-majority villages and a 1500-year-old temple in Tiruchirappalli, it has come to light that the Uttar Pradesh Waqf Board has now staked its claim on the historic Chandrashekhar Azad Park in Prayagraj.
As per an exclusive report by Times Now, a petition was filed before the Allahabad High Court stating that the Waqf Board backed the illegal construction of mazars and mosques on the premises of the public park.
In its defence, the Islamic body claimed that the mosque has been in existence in the park for about 200 years. A local told Times Now that ‘devotees’ offer prayers, candles and flower petals at the Mazar. “It is an illegal construction. Although part of the Mazar was damaged, they (Muslim devotees) put up a tent to keep it operational,” he said.
In October last year, the Allahabad High Court ordered the immediate removal of the mosque and a Mazar constructed illegally inside the Chandrashekhar Azad Park at Prayagraj. “We want the park free of all encroachments,” the Court said in its order while hearing a petition filed by a petitioner named Jitender Singh.
The petitioner stated that the existence of this park was under threat as some members of the Muslim community had illegally constructed artificial graves and were trying to convert a structure into a mosque. He added that the accused wanted to convert the park into a graveyard and mosque.
While passing the order, a Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice Piyush Agarwal directed all illegal encroachments on this historic park that came up after 1975 must be removed within a span of two days.
Later, the Prayagraj Development Authority demolished 3 tombs and 14 graves overnight on Friday from Chandrashekhar Azad Park. The authority acted on the orders of the Allahabad High Court to remove encroachments from the public park.
However, some illegal structures including the mosque continue to remain within the park premises. It must be mentioned that freedom fighter Chandrashekhar Azad sacrificed his life for the nation on 27 February 1931 at the said park when he was just 24 years old.
Several recent ground reports by OpIndia have shown that demography is changing rapidly along India’s border with Nepal. The number of mosques and madarsas is rapidly increasing in the area. From August 20 to 27, 2022, an OpIndia team visited several areas in Nepal bordering India to observe the ground situation. What follows here is the seventeenth report of the series of reports documenting the facts noticed by the OpIndia team.
In prior reports, we discussed what locals think about the mosques, Islamic shrines and places of worship spread along the highways leading from Balrampur to Barhni and Jarwa along the open international border running between India and Nepal. We also reported how the authorities have sprung into action after the exclusive reportage by OpIndia along the UP-Nepal border.
In this report, we attempted to determine whether the Muslim population is expanding solely in areas along the border or whether it is also affecting villages further away from the border. We went to the Sadullahnagar police station region of the Balrampur district in pursuit of this. If you follow the shortest route, this market will be roughly 60 kilometres from the Nepal border. We noticed that the majority of the shops in this market are owned by Muslims. However, we sought to identify the demography of settlements in this area.
Several Muslim-dominated settlements within the jurisdiction of the same police station
The OpIndia team acquired information regarding the Hindu-Muslim population in the villages surrounding the Sadullahnagar police station. According to our research, a village in Nevada under the Sadullahnagar police station has a Muslim population of 95%. Also, the Muslim population in two villages, Deoria Adam and Edaha, ranged from 80% to 90%. The Muslim population was estimated to be between 70% and 80% in villages such as Lalpur Bhaluhia, Bholia Madanpur, Reki Badalpur, and Deoria Adampur. The percentage of Muslims in villages like as Kharika, Alauddinpur, Ranipur, and Bhanuwagarh was between 60% and 70%.
Aside from this, the Muslim population ranges from 50% to 60% in four other villages: Achalpur, Deoria Inayat, Rampur Bharana, Bhundamafi, and Chitsupur. Laukia, Hasanpur, Kishunpur, Parshurampur, and a few smaller villages have a Muslim population of 40% to 50%. Apart from that, the Muslim population in dozens of villages such as Mubarakpur and Nayanpur Kuber ranges between 30 and 40 percent. Some additional villages have a Muslim population of 20 to 30%, but their numbers are significantly smaller.
Utraula Bazar is also predominantly Muslim
Apart from the aforementioned villages, the Muslim population of Utraula Bazar also greatly outnumbers the Hindu populace found there. In the nearby village of Gaindas Bujurg, the Hindu population is much lower than the Muslim population. Shivraj, a Dalit local living in a nearby slum, told OpIndia that his neighbour Naeem used to fight with him every day to acquire his piece of land. “After the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP administration took power in Uttar Pradesh, a police officer named KK resolved this long-standing issue, and we now feel safe and secure,” said Shivraj.
Notably, in August 2020, a resident of this Utraula market named Abu Yusuf was detained by the Delhi Police Special Cell. It was then established that Abu Yusuf had ties to Afghanistan and adhered to the jihadist ISIS ideology.
More than 100 Mosques and Madarsas within a 15-kilometre radius of Nepal border
The OpIndia team attempted to assess the number of mosques and madarsas within a 15-kilometre radius on the Indian side of the border, using Nepal’s border as the centre. According to our estimations and information acquired from locals, there are approximately 150 madarsas operating within 15 kilometres of the border in Uttar Pradesh’s Balrampur district alone.
Aside from that, there are about 200 mosques in a radius of 15 kilometres on the Nepal side of the border area.
Besides, there are roughly ten places where madarsas are operating within the mosque itself.
This figure, however, does not include the Mazars/Karbalas, the number of which is estimated to be in the hundreds. Notably, OpIndia collected this data through their own efforts and sources. The overall number of shrines and madarsas may, however, differ slightly from the figure mentioned here.
A creeping Islamisation of Nepal and its border areas appears to be underway, with Islamists steadily establishing their foothold in distant villages, including those on the Indian border. In the first four parts of this series, OpIndia documented the demography change ongoing in Nepal, as well as the worrying surge in the number of mosques and madarsas in the Himalayan nation’s border villages. Additionally, we also spoke about the rising incidents of love jihad in Nepal, as well as its Delhi connection and smuggling, and various other notorious activities that are going on along India’s border with Nepal.
The Congress Party’s 3,570-kilometer march dubbed the “Bharat Jodo Yatra” began on September 7 in Kanniyakumari, Tamil Nadu. The march will take five months and will pass through twelve states before ending in Srinagar. As the Congress party fights for its survival, the presently revered supreme figure of the Congress Party, Rahul Gandhi, is attempting to appease sections of society that are seemingly disgruntled with Congress and garner support to revive his moribund political fortunes.
In a similar attempt, Rahul Gandhi roped in a minor girl wearing a hijab while walking in the Yatra in Kerala, indicating support for the hijab when the whole world is opposing the oppressive practice of repressing women. The image of Rahul Gandhi with a minor girl in burkha was shared on the Twitter handle of Congress, implying how Rahul Gandhi was acceptable of the attire that has been used as an instrument of repression by the Muslim fundamentalists.
The controversy around the hijab in India started in Karnataka where a bunch of school-going girls insisted on wearing the Islamic outfit inside educational institutions. As the High Court rejected their plea to be allowed to wear hijab/burqa in educational institutions, the matter is sub judice before the supreme court of India. In such a situation, posing with a girl wearing a hijab tells a lot about the mentality of the Congress party and its leaders.
Global protests against intensifies after the death of an Iranian woman in custody
This move from Congress comes at a time when thousands of women across the world are protesting against the repressive practice of hijab. Women in Iran are publicly discarding their hijab in protest of the imposition of the hijab. Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman, died after being imprisoned by Iranian officials for not covering her hair. Amini was held by Iran’s ‘Morality Police’ for wearing the Hijab in an ‘improper manner,’ since she had not completely covered her hair. The ‘Morality Police’ detained her and tortured her in the police van as she was transported to a detention centre for a “re-education lesson.” However, given the heritage of the Congress party, it won’t be difficult to accept what Rahul Gandhi is promoting, viz repression.
It seems Rahul Gandhi was quite serious when he stated that he was fighting the Indian state and not any political party. After patronizing a controversial Catholic priest with a lengthy history of making provocative statements on Hindus and Indian heritage and culture, Rahul Gandhi has now resorted to defending the hijab, a practice that is grossly repressive, and also detrimental to the social fabric of the country. Well, it would not be too difficult a chore for Rahul Gandhi to spend nights in luxurious containers equipped with Air Conditioners and other facilities while ingratiating himself and his party with patriarchal Islamists who seek to deprive women of their agency and condition them into wearing hijabs.
With support for the hijab, Congress seeks to gain support among Muslim fundamentalists while sacrificing the rights of Muslim women
Across the world, Muslim women have been protesting against hijabs, which Islamic fundamentalists regard as sine qua non in their public life. Since the Taliban assumed control of Afghanistan and imposed the hijab obligation on women, Afghan women have been protesting against the diktat they assert robs them of their agency and is a symbol of Islamic misogyny. For a long time, wearing a hijab in public has been a sensitive topic. Several Muslim women from varied socioeconomic levels have spoken out against the compulsion to wear the hijab. It is, nevertheless, normal for Congress to use a divisive subject in order to acquire votes and, hence, power.
Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi has already openly admitted that his party is targeting India’s whole infrastructure, claiming that the Centre has taken control of all democratic institutions in the country. He has declared several times that he is challenging the Indian system rather than any political party. Such actions, in which Rahul Gandhi supports a regressive practice like the hijab, substantiate his remarks about subverting the Indian system.
The messaging comes at a crucial time when the matter is being heard in the Supreme Court. When Muslim women across the globe are openly demonstrating against the hijab mandate without the fear of repercussions, the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi are sending a message that no matter what, they’d continue to stand with the Muslim fundamentalists as they always did. Be it the Shah Bano case in the 1980s or the hijab row in 2022, despite the intervening decades, the Congress party have made it clear that it would continue with its policy of sacrificing the interests of Muslim women at the altar of hardline fundamentalists.
On September 19, the Muslim Council of Britain issued a press statement calling for action against the Hindu community over the anti-Hindu attacks in Leicester. In the statement signed by Secretary-General of the council Zara Mohammed, a Scottish faith leader of Pakistani origin, the MCB called Hindus’ far-right extremists’ for chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram. This, while Hindus of Leicester were attacked repeatedly amidst chants of Allahu Akbar.
MCB expressed concerns over the ‘rise of violent right-wing Hindutva extremism’ in the locality while completely ignoring the fact that Hindus, their houses, and businesses were repeatedly attacked since it all started. The statement read, “In the past few days, there has been a heightening of tensions among the diverse communities of Leicester, as concerns grow about the rise of violent right-wing Hindutva extremism taking root locally.”
PRESS RELEASE: Muslim Council of Britain calls for action against far-right Hindutva extremism in #Leicester | 19th September 2022
While insinuating that Hindus attacked not only Muslims but also Sikhs in the area, the council said, “On Saturday, September 17, groups of balaclava-clad men led a march, chanting slogans rooted in Hindutva nationalist supremacism, along Green Lane Road – a predominantly Muslim and Sikh populated area.”
It blamed Hindus for ‘provoking’ Muslims by ‘chanting outside Mosques’ and said, “This follows a series of provocations, including chanting outside Mosques, targeted mob attacks on Muslims, and vandalism to homes and businesses over recent months. Groups of young people from both communities have subsequently come out on the streets to protest, resulting in physical altercations and running battles.”
It is important to note here that what the Muslim Council of Britain called “Hindutva chant” was simply “Jai Shree Ram”, which means Glory to Lord Ram. This religious chant of Hindus has been branded as a “war cry” without any basis, simply to demonise Hindus. Besides, they deemed the mere presence of Hindus and their religious chant as “provocation” because their protest march passed a mosque, almost echoing the sentiment that any area where Muslims exist is a no-go zone for non-Muslims because that itself would be considered a provocation for violence. This, while the Muslim community demands that their chant, Allahu Akbar, which is often used during terror attacks, is one that must be normalised by all non-Muslims.
Zara Mohammad added to the statement claiming Hindus wanted to propagate the “Hindutva agenda” in the region. She said, “Communities have expressed their deep concerns to me around the propaganda perpetuated by far-right groups in India and their Hindutva agenda, which we are now seeing expressed on British streets. These provocations have targeted Muslims, Sikhs, and other minorities and, as a result, instigated hostilities between local communities in Leicester.”
Attack on Hindus by using ‘Hindutva’ as a proxy for Hindus
In recent times, there has been an increase in incidents where Hindus, as a community, have been attacked by propagandists by using ‘Hindutva’ as a proxy for Hindus. Hindutva which merely espouses political unity of Hindus is being used as a term to demonize Hindus across the world. While the Hinduphobic attacks are on the rise not only in India but across several nations, many have tried to showcase that the Hindus, as a community, are not under any threat. However, the reality is far from what is being propagated. The incident of Leicester is one of the finest examples of how a peace-loving community is being shown in a bad light.
Horror at Leicester: Targeted attacks on Hindus and Misinformation campaigns
Leicester City in England’s East Midlands region has witnessed a sharp increase in targeted attacks against the Hindu community. The orgy of violence by Islamists began soon after India clinched victory against Pakistan in the group stage match of the Asia Cup on August 28.
According to a Hindu organisation (@INSIGHTUK2), a casual banter between Indian fans and Pakistani supporters turned serious when the latter snatched and disrespected the Indian tricolour. It was later revealed that the person who snatched and desecrated the Indian flag was a Sikh man. Hindus had later assuaged the situation by tending to him in a cafe. Soon after, the police took cognisance of the matter but added to the raging misinformation by Islamists that religious slurs were hurled in Hindi.
India and Pakistan again met at the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup. After Pakistan succeeded in settling scores on the field, its supporters attacked a Hindu home celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi.
The accused men also received overwhelming support from their co-religionists on social media. Homes, cars, and properties belonging to the Hindu community, which were easily identifiable with sacred symbols, were damaged. In order to control the situation, Chief Superintendent Adam Slonecki granted dispersal and stop search powers to the police.
Recently, a Hindu temple came under attack by Islamists in Leicester. In a viral video, one extremist was seen uprooting a saffron flag affixed to the temple structure. On September 16, the police informed that a total of 27 people were arrested in connection with the violence.
Meanwhile, the Islamists resorted to making outlandish claims to deviate public discourse from the targeted attacks on Hindus. While speaking to Opindia, research scholar Sarah L Gates said, “This was a planned clean out aka religious cleansing. They want to purge Hindus.”
Hindus in Leicester are now at the mercy of the police for their safety. With motivated news publications and Islamist groups portraying them as the perpetrators, they are left to fend for themselves.
On Monday, the Uttar Pradesh Police arrested two persons for their involvement in the loot and murders at the house of cricketer Suresh Raina’s aunt. The two arrested persons have been identified as Talib and Shahjan who had committed a robbery at Raina’s aunt’s house two years ago in Punjab’s Pathankot district.
The two had also murdered three persons including Raina’s uncle Ashok Kumar and his cousin.
According to the reports, the Police arrested the duo, the members of the Chaymaar gang on Monday evening from Muzzafarnagar after a short scuffle. The duo fired at the police and tried to flee from the spot. However, the Police launched a late night encounter to trap the duo and fired bullets at their legs. The accused Talib and Shahjan have been reported injured and are undergoing treatment at a district hospital. The Police have also recovered 2 pistols, 5 live cartridges, 3 shells, and a bike from the accused.
मुजफ्फरनगर में एनकाउंटर, घुमंतू जाति के तालिब और शहजान को पैर में गोली लगी।
The police were in search of the members of this gang for two years after they committed a robbery at Raina’s aunt’s house and murdered his uncle, brother, and one more person. SSP Vineet Jaiswal confirmed the incident and said that the police had gotten a tip that the miscreants were roaming in the Kidwainagar area of Muzzafarnagar on Monday with intentions of executing some criminal incident. “Based on the tip, the Police and SOG raided the area on September 19 and arrested the two”, Jaiswal stated.
He added that the duo was spotted behind the police post in Kidwai Nagar. The officers asked them to stop as the duo fired at the Police team and tried to flee from the spot. However, the police launched an encounter operation and fired bullets at the legs of the miscreants to arrest them. “Both the miscreants were injured and were taken to the district hospital. Two pistols and 5 live cartridges, 3 shells, and a bike have been recovered from their possession”, Jaiswal reiterated.
Reports mention that the duo was involved in the robbery and murder at the house of the relatives of cricketer Suresh Raina in Punjab’s Pathankot district. On August 19, 2020, in Tharyal village of Pathankot district, the Chhaymar gang members had entered the house of Suresh Raina’s uncle Ashok Kumar while he was deep asleep at his home. The robbers attacked Kumar and his son named Kaushal during the robbery. While Ashok Kumar who was a government contractor died on the spot, his son Kaushal succumbed to his injuries on August 31, 2020.
Reportedly, one more person had died during the incident and Raina’s aunt, Ashok’s wife Asha Rani was seriously injured. After the incident, the then Chief Minister of Punjab formed an SIT under the leadership of IGP Border Range (Amritsar) to investigate the matter. In this case, the SIT also arrested three suspects on 15 September 2020.
SSP Vineet Jaiswal interrogated the duo arrested on Tuesday who confirmed to have played a crucial role in the incident that happened in the year 2020 in Punjab’s Pathankot. Shahjan alias Golu alias Kaka is resident of a slum village in Saharanpur and Talib alias Faizan alias Asim is resident of Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh.
In July 2021, one Chajju Chaimar, the mastermind of the crime, was arrested by the police. The criminals were from the nomadic Chaimar tribe.
During interrogation, Shahjan confirmed that he was involved in the murder of Raina’s uncle in Pathankot in 2020 and the robbery that took place in his house. The miscreant was on the run since then. According to the reports, the now arrested miscreants were also wanted in several other cases of robbery, dacoity, and murder. The Police arrested the duo from Muzzafarnagar on Monday and are investigating the matter.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) drew the ire of its countrymen for its lack of empathy toward victims, whose lives have been upended by the wrath of the floods that continues to wrack the country. PCB has announced free tickets to a cricket match, which did not sit well with Pakistanis, who lambasted the board for being insensitive toward the flood victims at a time when they are facing more serious issues such as crippling hunger, displacement, and loss of income avenues among others.
As per a report in Geo Super, the DIG (Special Security Unit) Maqsood Memon informed on Sunday (September 18) that the PCB will allow flood-hit families to watch the first T20 match, between England and Pakistan, for free at the National Stadium in Karachi.
He added that the Sindh police took up the matter with Chairman Ramiz Raza and other officials of the cricket Board. “We talked to PCB chairman Ramiz Raja and Zakir Khan to allow flood-hit families free entry into the stadium during matches,” Memon said.
Sindh Police has offered free entry and transportation to flood affectees to watch Pakistan and England T20 series at National Stadium Karachi. Flood affectees can call 15 and Sindh Police will assist them completely. #PAKvENG
He emphasised, “Our brothers and sisters are suffering from tough times. Free entry to the stadium will help in bringing smiles back on their faces,” he added. According to Geo News (Urdu) journalist Arfa Feroz Zake, Sindh police will also provide free transport to the flood victims to the National Stadium in Karachi.
Pakistanis lash out at PCB for being insensitive toward the flood victims
Social media users in Pakistan are upset about the misplaced priorities of the PCB and Sindh police. One Alahuddin Khan wrote, “They are dying of hunger and PCB is making fun of them shame on PCB.”
“What’s this nonsense? Instead of giving them free tickets, let people pay for the ticket and donate all the money to flood-affected people,” wrote another Facebook user.
Screengrab of the comments by Pakistani Facebook users
“So you think they have been waiting for your free ticket support? Get a Life man !!!!! They have lost their lives, Get them their life back. Then only ask for appreciation and applause” one Ali Zia pointed out.
“Okay, so those who lost their homes and other stuff due to the flood will travel to the stadium to watch ticket-free matches…Is your mind in ur pants or what???? They would definitely prefer the travel expanse to be spent for buying food rather than your free ticket sh*t,” said another Facebook user.
Screengrab of the comments by Pakistani Facebook users
Facebook user Mohid Tariq pointed out that the focus of the administration should lie on resettling flood victims instead of wasting State resources to facilitate free entry to cricket matches.
“They don’t need free tickets. They need support for rehabilitation,” wrote one Muhammad Ali Chohan. Another user said, “Wah!Wah! The level of stupidity is unmatched…they need your money..not sit and clap in a stadium…and also will they be transported to the match…sheesh.”
Last month, the government of Pakistan declared a “national emergency” in response to the catastrophe brought about by heavy rains and flooding in various regions of the country.
According to Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), rainfall and flooding have already claimed more than 1500 lives and injured 12,850 people. In total, about 1,979,485 houses have been destroyed while 973,632 livestock has died due to the floods. Moreover, 374 bridges and 12,716 km of roads have also been damaged.
According to reports, unknown vandals smashed the idols at the Kashipur Sarbajanin Durga Temple in Mehendiganj Upazila in Barisal, Bangladesh. The crime was reported early Sunday, according to Mehendiganj Police Officer in Charge Shafiqul Islam. He claimed that when people went to the temple in the morning to pray, they discovered the idols defaced.
According to police, the event occurred in the early hours of the morning because people were present till 2 AM in the temple. “There are no CCTV cameras in the temple, and we have asked temple authorities to install the camera as soon as possible,” stated OC Shafiqul.
The leaders of Mehendiganj Puja Udjapon Parishad vehemently denounced the event and demanded that the perpetrators face legal consequences. Mehendiganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Nurunnabi inspected the location and issued orders to renovate the temple so that it could be used for worship.
1,682 idols for the next Durga Puja have apparently already been moulded, and instructions have been given to install CCTV cameras at the Puja tents, according to the deputy inspector general of the Barisal Range Police.
Attacks on Hindu temples in Bangladesh
It is worth noting that there have been many incidents of attacks on Hindu temples in Bangladesh. Three madrasa students were detained by authorities on August 6 for allegedly damaging Hindu deity statues at the Kainmari Temple in Mongla Upazila in Bangladesh. The incident happened after several Muslim youngsters from the madrasa were requested by the temple management to stop playing football on the field next to the temple.
On July 16, it was reported that a Muslim mob vandalized a temple, a grocery shop, and many Hindu homes in the Sahapara region of Lohagara, Narail, merely over a Facebook post.
The ISKCON Temple on Lalmohan Saha Street in Wari, Dhaka Division, Bangladesh, was targeted in March 2022. Haji Shafiullah, 62, was the mastermind behind the heinous attack. An Islamist mob of 150-200 individuals set siege to the ISKCON temple under his supervision. They desecrated the murtis (idols), vandalised the temple facilities, and stole money and other valuables.
Attacks against minorities have been going unchecked in Bangladesh. Hindus remain susceptible to assaults by radical Islamic terrorists in a Muslim-majority country where they account for fewer than 10% of the overall population. OpIndia has documented 100s of such cases of persecution and ill-treatment meted out to the minority community. Given Bangladesh’s track record of human rights violations, attacks on Hindus remain a routine affair.
In 2021, Durga Puja pandals were attacked by Islamists in Bangladesh after a madrasa worker deliberately placed a Quran copy near one of the pandals to trigger ‘blasphemy’ allegations.
Leicester has been burning with Muslim mobs going on a rampage against the Hindu community in the city. After hundreds of people crowded the streets in the city’s eastern section, violence erupted on Friday night in Leicester, United Kingdom. This comes after a spate of targeted attacks on Hindus followed the Asia Cup India-Pakistan cricket match on August 28, when armed Islamists attacked Hindus and their residences in the vicinity.
On Friday, hundreds of Hindus had taken to the streets of Leicester to protest against the earlier violence by Muslims against Hindus in the area. During the protest by Hindus, the Muslim mob started indiscriminately attacking Hindus with stones and glass bottles. The protest by Hindus was disrupted by Islamists as they hurled glass bottles at the protestors. A Saffron flag was also desecrated by a mob of Islamists in front of the police.
The violence on the 17th of September erupted after a spate of violence that had gripped the city over a span of 3-4 days, starting from the 4th of September, where Muslim mobs had gone on a rampage identifying Hindus and unleashing violence against them. During the rampant violence by Islamists in the city earlier in September and on the 17th, several Hindus were specifically targeted after being identified by the display of Hindu symbols.
Speaking to OpIndia, Insight UK, a Hindu organisation bringing the issues of the Leicester community to the forefront through advocacy, said that during the 6th September violence, several Hindu houses were attacked after the Islamists identified these houses through the display of religious symbols. 6th September was the third consecutive night of attacks against the Leicester Hindu community, Insight UK told us. During this, hundreds of Muslims had taken to the streets and were attacking Hindu homes after identifying them with the display of the Om symbol, saffron flags, picture of Lord Ganesh etc.
The media, however, has been peddling a grotesquely false narrative about the Leicester violence. The foundation of the media narrative is that it was “RSS goons” and “Hindutvavadis” who attacked the marginalised Muslim community of Leicester.
A journalist associated with UK-based leftist media outlet The Guardian, Aina Khan, tweeted about her ‘tense day’ while covering the Leicester violence. She claims to have interviewed one Hindu man who was wearing a motorbike helmet and holding an Indian flag. She ranted against RSS, Hindus, and Hindutva and placed the blame for the violence against Hindus squarely at the doorstep of the Hindu community, claiming that it was the Muslim community that was victimised by the violence. A comprehensive report on her assertions can be read here and here.
There were some lovely things I observed.
I accompanied local activist from the Muslim community, @Majstar7, who escorted a woman with a sindooram on her forehead, to her home near Belgrave road.
As temples, and religious symbols got desecrated, homes got attacked and Hindus were under siege by the Muslim community of Leicester, Aina went on a rant praising the Muslim community for their conduct. She tweeted that she was accompanied by Majid Freeman, a local Muslim “activist”.
There were some lovely things I observed.
I accompanied local activist from the Muslim community, @Majstar7, who escorted a woman with a sindooram on her forehead, to her home near Belgrave road.
Majid Freeman is a local Leicester Muslim “activist” who is known to harbour problematic and extremist Islamic views. Throughout the Leicester violence, Majid was at the forefront of spreading fake news that instigated violence against Hindus.
It was on the 28th of August that a scuffle had broken out after India defeated Pakistan in a T20 match after the Indian flag was desecrated. After the scuffle, Hindus had even calmed the situation down and tended to the individual who had snatched and desecrated the Indian flag. Majid Freeman, however, had a different story to tell.
On the 30th of August, after the Leicester police got influenced by the Muslim organisations and lied about “death to Muslims” being chanted by Hindus (they later clarified their investigation found no such chants were heard), Majid took to Twitter to rabble-rouse against Hindus.
It wasn’t too long ago ripped up Quran pages were found on the streets not far from this same road. I hope the people responsible are caught asap before things really escalate. #Leicester
On the 30th itself, he lied about Quran being desecrated in Leicester, insinuating that the Hindus had committed this act. However, OpIndia tried to verify these claims. There is one video about this supposed Quran desecration where 2 men and 1 woman are seen collecting torn pages of the Quran from the street. There is no video evidence of the Quran being desecrated. Moreover, there has been no complaint filed by the police and no video evidence submitted for investigation either.
There was another incident that was cited by Majid Freeman to claim that Hindus had been attacking Muslims. He claimed that a mob of 30+ Hindus had chased and assaulted a Muslim teenager. When confirmed, it turned out that while the Muslim organisations had claimed this, no video evidence was submitted to the police and no investigation was underway, OpIndia was told by Insight UK.
This is what Majid Freeman wrote in an article on 5PillarsUK, an Islamist website that talks about Muslims and the Ummah.
What he wrote in his report
On the 4th of September, when the violence against Hindus started with mobs hunting them down in their houses and on the streets, Majid Freeman took to Twitter to dog-whistle against Hindus again.
#INDvsPAK2022 are playing cricket again today. Let’s hope the #Hindutva racist scum don’t try attack more innocent people on the streets. Last week they attacked a police officer and a Sikh man in #Leicester after he spoke up against them chanting “death to Pakistan” on Melton Rd https://t.co/gQE5s1tZPj
On the 4th, no procession was planned and the Hindus had decided to let the incident go, however, Majid decided to talk about potential violence again to instigate Muslims against Hindus. In fact, he even lied that Hindus had attacked a Sikh man because he had raised objections to them chanting “death to Pakistan”.
The truth that has now emerged is that this individual, a Sikh man, had snatched the Indian flag and desecrated it. The Hindus at that time had thought of the Sikh man as a Pakistani and started chanting “Pakistan Murdabad”, which does not literally translate to “Death to Pakistan”. Actually, it simply means “down down Pakistan”, a slogan common world over in protests and even in cricket matches. In the scuffle, his t-shirt was torn, however, later, the Hindus themselves took the Sikh man to a nearby cafe and ensured that he was ok.
Here is a still from the video posted by Insight UK that proves that Indians had taken the man in the cafe and tended to him.
Still from video posted by Insight for UK
This incident was given a communal colour only after Muslim organisations like FMO and Leicester Council of Faiths insisted to the police that “death to Muslims” was chanted by Hindus. They then approached the police and insisted that this fact was mentioned in an email that was circulated widely. Later, it was the Hindus who approached the police and asked for evidence and when that evidence was not available, the police were forced to clarify that such chants were not heard. The Muslim organisations did not bother to circulate the clarification thereby furthering hate against Hindus. Majid completely misses these facts on purpose.
From the 4th to the 7th of September, Muslim mobs went on a rampage against Hindus. On the 4th of September, when Majid tweeted and dog-whistled, the Muslim mob went on a rampage unprovoked while the Hindus were celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi. Eggs were thrown when Hindu symbols were spotted and where Ganesh puja was being held. A Hindu man was dragged out of his home and stabbed, when his aunt ran out of the house to defend him, she was injured because the Muslim mob punched and beat her.
The incident took place while guests were arriving for Ganesh (#Ganpati) darshan. Instead of condemning the incident, many Muslims on social media and beyond have made light of the fact that eggs were thrown – yet this is comparable to pork being thrown at a mosque. pic.twitter.com/aYRtYgINse
On the 8th of September, he repeated the lie that a Muslim boy was attacked by 30+ Hindus, and his evidence to back that claim was an unverifiable video and the fact that he wanted people to trust his word. As mentioned before, there is no investigation into this because there was no evidence provided.
Even after the violence that was perpetrated on the 4, 5, 6 and 7th of September, Majid continued to lie. He claimed on the 9th of September that a Muslim boy was held by Hindus and asked for his religion. When they found out he was a Muslim, they tried to beat him, however, the Muslim boy managed to escape after beating the Hindus up. The Leicester police responded to Majid saying that such an incident had not happened.
Please be assured, we have been and are carrying out regular patrols in that area. If any resident has any concern please let us know. At this point we are not aware of this incident. Please ask the victim or a representative to report this to Leicestershire Police on 101.
On the 12th of September, a dangerous lie started. It was alleged that Hindu men had attempted to abduct a Muslim girl while she was going to school. The school was alerted about this by Muslim organisations and a subsequent complaint was filed. The Leicester police on the 13th said that they were investigating the complaint. That statement was used by Majid to claim that the police had “confirmed that the incident took place”.
After the story went viral, aided by Majid Freeman, the Hindu man started getting threats from Islamists since they had outed his car number, his location and his picture.
As this fake story went viral the targeted Hindu youth started receiving threats by Islamists on his social media accounts. His friends, family and his #Hindu faith were viciously targeted. 6/13 pic.twitter.com/wv8SG0fIir
The Muslim mob had also reached his house and started circling the area.
On the 14th of September, the Leicester police confirmed that the news was fake. There was no kidnapping attempt on the Muslim girl. It is pertinent to note that in front of the police, even the young Muslim girl had corroborated the story and given specific descriptions of the Hindu man, probably egged on and coached by the Islamists.
Statement by Leicester police
It was only on the 15th that Majid admitted that the news was fake. But it was too late by then. The Muslim mob had already been stirred and Hindus were already marked. In fact, that Hindu boy’s life had been perennially jeopardised.
Just got back from the location where the alleged kidnapping occurred. We went to the houses on day 1 too but no one answered. Just went again now with @RiazKhanLC and the cameras confirm no incident took place. Such lies have serious consequences & casts doubts on genuine cases. https://t.co/QrlxpnuQRd
On the 17th, Majid Freeman basically admitted that Muslims were victimising Hindus by tweeting that the locals were fed up of Hindus playing loud music and had started feeling much safer since Muslims started “patrolling the area”. Given the violence, Freeman’s jugglery of words notwithstanding, we know what “patrolling the area” meant. He essentially and clearly meant that the Muslim population of Leicester felt “safe” after their goons had started targeting Hindus.
They feel much safer since the Muslims started patrolling the streets and making their presence known. Many said they’ve been complaining to the police for almost a year but they feel no action gets taken. It’s sad that it’s had to come to this for the locals to feel safe again.
Pertinently, it was the 17th of September when Hindus came under attack yet again by the Muslims, the day that Majid Freeman tweeted.
On the 17th, Hindus had decided to peacefully march in Leicester, protesting against the Islamist violence that had continued throughout all these days. From the 7th to the 17th, while Majid claimed that the area was peaceful, Insight UK told OpIndia that Hindus were constantly under attack with stones and glass bottles being pelted at them and their homes. When the rally was being taken out peacefully by Hindus, Majid Freeman started dog-whistling again.
Simply because there was a mosque from where the Hindu procession passed, Majid Freeman warned Hindus in his tweet that Muslims are “getting provoked again”, almost as a precursor to the violence that was about to erupt.
Hindus marching through #Leicester broad daylight pass the masjid chanting slogans. Police have no control of the situation & it’s about to get real peak. They’re throwing glass bottle at us with the police watching. They’re provoking us once again. Don’t forget who started this! pic.twitter.com/3sIQKFUQc4
While the Hindus marched, Muslims took to the streets and started performing Namaz. Since it was a Saturday and Friday, one can safely conclude that this was a planned move. The Hindus, OpIndia is told, waited patiently to let them finish their namaz before proceeding with their protest.
While the media tried to paint this as an “India vs Pakistan” violence, it was clear from Majid’s tweet on the 18th that it was violence by Muslims of all hues against Hindus. “Muslims from ALL backgrounds in #Leicester are united. Whether they be Indian, Pakistani, Bengali, Somali, Arab etc. We’re here united as one. We won’t allow this #Hindutva extremism to spread here. This isn’t India where we’re the minority & they have the state supporting them”, he tweeted.
From the 17th, Hindus feel gravely under attack. A temple was also desecrated by the Muslims when they took down the Om flag and burnt it. Hindu houses were attacked and Hindus were being chased down, being met with stones and glass bottles.
Majid on the 17th justified the violence by the Muslims against Hindus calling it the community “standing up for themselves” because the Hindu community “broke peace” by marching past a mosque and chanting “Jai Shree Ram”.
Let the police deal with it? This is why we’re in this situation rn. They let Hindu mobs march past a mosque & provoke Muslims on the streets this afternoon. The Hindu mobs broke the peace once again. What you see now is the Muslim community standing up for themselves. #Leicesterhttps://t.co/JClUeUAe1B
While justifying violence by the Muslims, Majid lied about Hindus coming in from London to create violence. The truth is that it was the Muslims who had congregated from several places outside Leicester. In fact, among those arrested were two Muslims from Birmingham.
#Leicester: 10:38pm update from Belgrave Road. Word going around that some of these racist Hindutva thugs might have come down from London. They’re now outnumbered and cornered. They broke the peace and caused a riot with their provocation. Did they think this was India? pic.twitter.com/fdnCGbEt8i
In fact, Majid slipped up in one of his tweets on the 17th where he thanked other Muslims for “responding on short notice” clearly indicating that Muslims had come to Leicester to target Hindus.
Alhamdulillah we’re united as ONE. Jazakallahu khair & big respect to all those who responded today at v short notice as this was all unexpected & last min. We had no idea the racists were going to be marching down the streets chanting slogans to provoke the community. #Leicesterhttps://t.co/dIA84S2D23pic.twitter.com/SOASv5A5ty
In fact, another lie that was circulated by Majid Freeman and his Islamist cohorts was that a Mosque was attacked by Hindus during their peaceful protest. The Leicester police confirmed that no such mosque was attacked, however, they did confirm that a Hindu temple had been vandalised.
Tweets by Leicester police
With Majid and his cohorts instigating violence against Hindus, the Hindu community of Leicester have been living in mortal fear since late August. There has been violence perpetrated against them, which is backed by plenty of evidence. The Leicester police have secured its first conviction in the violence and the individual who has been sent to 10 months in prison is not a Hindu – his name is Amos Noronha, who is a resident of Illingworth Road in Leicester.
Who is Majid Freeman
To understand who Majid Freeman is, we must travel back to 2013 when ISIS activity was at its peak in Syria. In 2013, BBC aired a documentary about the “Aid for Syria” convoy which had “humanitarian organisations” and “activists” travelling to Syria to help those affected by ISIS atrocities. BBC at the time hid the names of the charities involved in the convoy – it was later revealed by analyst and scholar Sam Westrop that those charities were One Nation, Al Fatiha Global and Aid4Syria.
These charities regularly organize fundraising events with Islamist themes, and invite radical preachers as guests. In mid-November, for instance, the Aid for Syria convoy ran an event named “O’Ummah [Community of Muslims], Wake Up and Rise”, starring as its key speakers, Zahir Mahmood and Moazzam Begg.
Zahir Mahmood just so happens to be a supporter of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, the charter of which calls for genocide against the Jewish people. Mahmood claims that, “Hamas are not terrorists. They’re freedom fighters.”
Moazzam Begg, meanwhile, was a detainee at Guantanamo Bay who now runs a group called CagePrisoners, which lobbies in support of imprisoned Al Qaeda terrorists. Begg has previously admitted that he was responsible for “small arms and mountain tactics” at al-Qaeda training camps, to which he also sent money, on the Afghan-Pakistani border. Begg has also admitted that he fought alongside jihadists in Bosnia. Through CagePrisoners, Begg presently campaigns for the release of his fellow Guantanamo detainee, Shaker Aamer, whom Begg himself had previously described as a “recruiter” for al-Qaeda. The human rights activist Gita Sahgal has called Begg: “Britain’s most famous supporter of the Taliban.”
In fact, the Aid for Syria convoy had named some of their vehicles Aafia Siddiqui, an Al Qaeda activist described by FBI Director Robert S. Mueller as “an al-Qaeda operative and facilitator.” During her trial, she insisted that she did not want any Jewish lawyers.
In 2013, when the Aid For Syria charity was being exposed as Islamist by several scholars, Majid Freeman was in Syria under this banner, with another “aid worker” Alan Henning, who was later abducted and beheaded by ISIS. He was with Henning when he was abducted by ISIS, indicates reports.
Freeman spoke at the memorial service for Henning, calling him a beautiful man who helped when the international community looked away, however, according to a Telegraph report, only two weeks after the beheading, he started posting messages supporting ISIS. In his Facebook post, he asked for “dua” for a British ISIS terrorist Ifthekar Jaman who was charged with a Syrian terror plot. He also posted a video that essentially said that ISIS was a reasonable response to Western policy and said, “This brother hit the nail on the head”.
Majid Freeman, according to the Telegraph report, has expressed support for Al Qaeda terrorists calling them Shaheed, said that Al Aqsa will be conquered by Jihad and expressed sympathy and support to Al Qaeda cleric who incited terrorist attacks against non-Muslims.
Excerpt from Telegraph report
Interestingly, the Telegraph report also reveals that Freeman has been questioned by the police but has not been charged with any crime in relation to Aid4Syria.
Majid has, essentially, encouraged European Muslims to “do jihad in Syria,” and has promoted “tributes” to the late Al Qaeda terrorist Anwar Al-Awlaki on his Twitter and Facebook accounts – this screenshot was posted by Sam Westrop in his expose.
Post by Majid Freeman
Not only this, Majid Freeman has expressed his support for Pakistani terrorist Aafia Siddique.
Dr Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani scientist jailed in US, has requested Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI for her release from the Americans.https://t.co/FFGIm0ZthG
May Allah give our sister #AafiaSiddiqui patience, strength, freedom & justice! ??
On this blessed day of Friday I pray our sister Dr Aafia Siddiqui is released / freed. May Allah facilitate the means for her to be reunited with her family & may justice be served.
Aafia Siddiqui is a 49-years-old terrorist of Pakistan origin. She is currently serving an 86-year prison sentence for attacking US Army and FBI personnel in Afghanistan. In 2008, she was detained by Afghan authorities. According to the Department of Justice, they had found a number of items in her possession, including handwritten notes that mentioned a mass-casualty attack. There was a list of various locations such as Plum Island, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, and the Brooklyn Bridge in the US, including in the items.
According to DoJ, she was being held in an unsecured manner when she grabbed a rifle from US Army personnel and fired it at the officers interviewing her. An FBI agent and a US Army officer were injured. She was convicted in 2010 and currently serving an 86-year prison sentence. Her supporters from Pakistan believe she is innocent and a victim of the American war on terror.
The Taliban and Islamic State, along with Majid Freeman, of course, had sought her release in exchange for American and European hostages. One of the notable trade offers was of journalist James Foley who was captured in Syria and later beheaded in August 2014. In July 2014, ISIS offered the release of Kayla Mueller, a 22-year-old woman who was abducted in Syria, in exchange for Siddiqui.
Siddiqui did her graduation and PhD from the US in behavioural neuroscience. Reports suggest she worked as a courier for Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, who was the main accused of the 9/11 attacks. After 9/11, Siddiqui had returned to Pakistan with her first husband and children. When she tried to help Taliban terrorists near the Pakistan-Afghan border, her husband disapproved, leading to their divorce in 2002.
Pakistan has also come forward in her support. In September 2021, Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, Special Aide to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Interreligious Harmony and the Middle East, sought early release of Siddiqui on the pretext of an alleged attack on her in prison. Pakistan’s ambassador to the US, Masood Khan, also extended support for Siddiqui.
Majid Freeman also supported Oliver Bridgeman, an ISIS terrorist whose passport was cancelled after he travelled to Syria. According to a report, he essentially painted the terrorist as an aide worker, much like himself. Oliver Bridgemen converted to Islam and became Yusuf. He is still in Syria fighting for ISIS.
Majid Freeman and his links with organisations connected to Al Qaeda, IHH – Is there a PFI connection?
At the heart of this question, are three so-called charities that were ‘working’ in Syria – Aid4Syria, Al Fatiha Global (Aid4Syria’s parent organisation), IHH and Children in Deen and One Nation.
It is pertinent to note that Majid Freeman was travelling in the humanitarian convoy to Syria along with these organisations and is personally involved with others like One Nation and Aid4Syria.
The Telegraph report says:
Aid4Syria’s parent charity, Al Fatiha Global, is under investigation by the Charity Commission for alleged “links [with] individuals purportedly involved in supporting armed or other inappropriate activities in Syria”. The investigation was launched in March after one of its workers, Adeel Ali, was apparently pictured with his arms around two masked men holding rifles. He denies the picture is of him.
Two other charities involved in the aid convoy joined by Mr Henning and Mr Freeman, IHH and Children in Deen, have also been accused of aiding jihadist terrorism in Syria. IHH, a Turkish group, was raided by that country’s police earlier this year. Children in Deen is under investigation by the Charity Commission. The first British suicide bomber in Syria, Abdul Waheed Majeed, travelled to the country in a convoy organised by Children in Deen.
A third charity involved in the aid convoy, One Nation, is the subject of “concerns” by the Charity Commission over its work in Syria. One of its trustees, Arshad Patel, was arrested by police investigating the 7/7 London suicide bombings, but not charged. His sister, Hasina, is the widow of Mohammed Sidique Khan, the leader of the suicide bombers. Mr Freeman is also closely linked to One Nation.
While other organisations seem to have sympathies for Al Qaeda and ISIS terrorists and have also been under investigation for their activities in Syria, one Turkish group, IHH, is of particular concern to India as well.
In 2020, news emerged that IHH, which has links to Al Qaeda, has forged an alliance with PFI in India. According to the report by Nordic Monitor in 2020, the meeting was held on the 20th of October, 2018, seven months ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections in 2019.
The meeting, clouded in secrecy, was apparently part of Erdogan’s outreach towards Muslims in the Southeast Asia. The two key PFI leaders who attended the meeting were E.M. Abdul Rahiman and Prof. P. Koya, members of the National Executive Council of the PFI, the report claims. It was attended by IHH Secretary-General Durmuş Aydın and IHH Vice President Hüseyin Oruç as well and partnership in various fields were discussed.
The Nordic Monitor says that IHH works with Turkish intelligence service MIT, led by Erdogan loyalist Hakan Fidan, an Islamist as well. It also said that the PFI was promoted by Turkic state-run media Anadolu as a civic and social group the members of which were abused by Indian police. The IHH was accused to have smuggled arms to Al-Qaeda-affiliated Jihadists in Syria in January 2014.
The report states further, “The IHH had long been flagged by Russia as an organization that smuggled arms to jihadist groups in Syria, according to intelligence documents submitted to the UN Security Council on Feb. 10, 2016. Russian intelligence documents even furnished the license plate numbers of trucks dispatched by the IHH loaded with arms and supplies bound for al-Qaeda-affiliated groups including the Nusra Front.”
The Nordic Monitor also said that the Erdogan regime in Turkey is helping the IHH in global operations using its diplomatic clout. The PFI in India has been accused of involvement in numerous instances of violence and their members have been accused of murder as well. The Enforcement Directorate had accused the PFI of funding anti-CAA riots across the country.
Here are the pictures that had emerged at the time.
Photograph of meeting between IHH and PFI (Image Credit: Nordic Monitor)
Photograph of meeting between IHH and PFI (Image Credit: Nordic Monitor)
Given the involvement of Majid Freeman in the violence against Hindus in Leicester, the misinformation he spread to instigate Muslims to target Hindus and his terror sympathising views and associations, one has to wonder if there is more to the violence than meets the eye. The fact that IHH was involved in the Syrian convoy, of which Freeman was a part of, and that IHH has forged an alliance with radical Islamist PFI in India which works explicitly against Hindus (read this vision document to know about their plans to turn India Islamic and subjugate Hindus) raises far more questions than it answers.
That Majid Freeman is a radical Islamist has been proved by publicly available information about his views. However, whether the Leicester police would investigate his alleged terror links and his potential links to India, is something one can only speculate about. As of now, the Leicester police have opened no investigation against Majid Freeman in the anti-Hindu violence. Given that it is this individual who is being relied on by journalists like Aina Khan to “investigate” and “report from the ground” in Leicester, one is not surprised that the coverage of the incident by global media has been skewed against Hindus. What is far more worrying, is that none of the publications quoting Majid Freeman has included his problematic views in their reports, leading people to believe that he is merely a local “activist” working for Muslims.
On Monday, the Pune Police arrested a person named Raees Shaikh for molesting a 19-year-old engineering student in the Yewalewadi area of the city. Shaikh is 40-years-old and claims to be associated with the Zomato food delivery company.
According to the reports, the incident is said to have happened on September 17 at around 9 pm when the teenage girl ordered dinner from Zomato. She was alone at home when Shaikh arrived at her apartment to deliver her order. He then asked her for a glass of water. In the meantime, he observed her apartment and learned that she was alone residing in the space.
Maharashtra | Pune City Police arrested a food delivery man for allegedly molesting a girl in Yewalewadi; later released on bail
Girl alleges she ordered on Zomato, Raees Shaikh came for delivery&asked for water. When she gave him water, he pulled her close&molested her: Police
As soon as the girl gave him the glass of water, he held her hand tight to ‘express gratitude’. The girl tried to free her hand but could not. Shaikh then forcefully pulled the girl closer, kissed her twice on her cheek, and said, “thank you”. The girl immediately called the Kondhwa Police and narrated the incident that happened in a well-known residential complex in the city.
Sub-inspector Sachin Khetmalis confirmed the incident and registered a complaint against Shaikh. According to the complaint, the delivery boy had arrived on the 5th floor of the building to deliver the dinner parcel ordered by the victim girl. “He asked for water as he was thirsty. After drinking the water, he caught hold of the girl’s hands forcibly and touched her inappropriately. He then tried to flee from the spot but the girl raised an alarm. The residents of the building caught the suspect and handed him over to police”, Khetmalis was quoted.
According to the local reports, the girl is an engineering student and resides in an apartment in Pune on rent. After the incident, the girl first called the landlord who later contacted the police. The girl then visited the Kondhwa Police Station and registered an official complaint against the food delivery person.
Earlier a similar incident was reported from Pune where the police had arrested a food delivery executive for sexually harassing an 8-year-old girl in the Bavdhan area. The accused was a native of Tuljapur in Osmanabad and had gone to a building to deliver the food parcel. He had sexually harassed the minor girl who was returning to her home in the same building after playing at around 1:30 pm.
In the current case, the Pune Police arrested Raees Shaikh and booked him under sections 354 (outraging modesty of a woman) and 354 (a) (sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code. The Police said that the charge sheet would be filed against him upon completion of the investigation. However, the accused has been released on bail.
OpIndia tried to contact Kondhwa Police for additional details but the call remained unanswered. According to TOI, the food delivery partner Zomato has stated that the accused, Raees Shaikh, was never associated with their platform. Further investigations into the case are underway.
