By Rehan Ansari, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: Siddiquie Shamsuddin Jamaluddin, 20, a final year B.Com. student, is among 36 youth arrested by Mumbai Police for allegedly holding violent protest against desecration of the Holy Quran here on 14th December 14. All were produced before Andheri Metropolitan
Magistrate today and denied bail. They were remanded to police custody till 24th December.
Nearly 300 people gathered in front of police station in Sakinaka, Andheri agitating against police for not taking action against W. Bosco, a printing press owner who is alleged to have kept a wine bottle on a copy of Quran in his printing press while drinking. The police denied the allegation of inaction.
Arif Nasim Khan, Minister of Minority, Maharashtra, meeting with people and directing Police
Samadhan Dhanedar, Senior Police Inspector of Sakinaka Police station said, “The incident took place around 5.30 pm on Tuesday and an FIR was registered against W. Bosco on 8.30 pm. But someone spread the rumor about inaction and people started gathering in front of our
Police station. They remained there till late in the night.” He also said that the protesters pelted stone and two policemen got injured.
However, an eyewitness who was near Sakinaka police station told TCN that first Police lathi charged and then people started pelting stones.
Nizamuddin 23, brother of Shamshuddin showing College ID Card of his brother
The Sakinaka police station arrested 7 people while Andheri Police arrested 29 others. Most of those arrested are young and in the age group of 15-22 years. They have been charged with section 353 that means assault or use of criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty and sections 37, 34 and 149.
Nizamuddin (23), elder brother of Siddiqui Shamsuddin, told TCN that his brother was arrested by Andheri Plolice on Wednesday around 4.00 pm when he was returning from college. “My brother is innocent. He is a student of Smt. Parmeshwardevi Durgadutt Tiberwala College and was coming home in rickshaw. The Police stoped the rickshaw at Saag Bag Nala and asked his name and then arrested him,” alleged Nizamuddin. He said there are nearly 5 students among those arrested in the case.
Police Constable Borade lost his teeth in stone peltin
Meanwhile, Arif Nasim Khan, Minister of Minority Affairs, Maharashtra,visited Sakinaka Police station and directed Senior P.I not to arrest innocents. He also asked the Police to meet with the Ulema, Imams and honorable people of the Muslim community of the area and explain to them the actual matter on Thursday evening.
The minister also made a call to Amitabh Gupta, Additional Police Commissioner, to discharge the students from the case and requested the people to remain peaceful during Yaum-e-Aashoora on Friday.
Relatives of People arrested outside Sakinaka Police station
The situation in the area is tense due to mass arrests and the complainants of the incident Syed Arif and Iftekhar are missing and have not yet been traced. Police presence has been intensified in the area particularly near religious places including mosques and church to stop any untoward incident.