By TCN Staff Reporter,
Patna: A delegation of Lok Janshakti Party of Ram Vilas Paswan on Tuesday met Bihar’s Director General of Police (DGP) Mr. Abhyanand complaining against alleged implication of innocent people for the communal violence that took place on the day of Eid in Talwa village of Barsoi subdivision in Katihar district. “The DGP assured us that innocents will not be booked,” Adil Hasan, member of the delegation told TCN over phone.
According to Adil, the violence took place at Gwal Toli in Talwa village in Balrampur Assembly constituency in Katihar after rumor spread about attack on the Imam of the Eidgah, which was just a rumor for which he blamed CPI-ML’s Muslim leaders of the area.
LJP leaders visiting communal violence-hit site in Talwa area of Barsoi subdivision in Katihar district
Giving details about the incident, Adil, who fought as LJP candidate on Balrampur seat in last assembly poll, said when in the morning of Eid day (20th July), some members of the local Masjid committee went to Eidgah to fit loudspeakers and microphone, they found empty bottle of wine inside the Eidgah premises. The news spread like wildfire but the elders controlled it. The Imam sahib in his speech talked of peace and announced to sit after the Namaz to discuss the issue. But soon after the Namaz a rumor was spread that Imam sahib has been attacked and CPI-ML leaders collected hundreds of people which started attacking the shops of Hindu residents. In retaliation, some shops of Muslims were also attacked. Higher police officials reached the site soon and the situation was controlled.
Police have lodged two FIRs 74/2012 and 75/2012 in which 39 and 43 persons have been made named accused while 10000 unnamed. And then have police started picking innocents for the violence, alleged Azad. This has resulted in the atmosphere of fear and terror engulfing the area. He alleged that Sangh activists are camping in the area and vitiating the atmosphere.
L-R: Ahmed Ashfaque Kareem, Adil Hasan and others visiting the area
LJP leaders visited the affected area earlier this week. The team included Vice President of the party Dr. Ahmad Ashfaque Karim, Aadil Hasan, Samrener Kumar, Harihar Sah, Abdul Wadood and others.
Adil also said that the root of the problem is the presence of a wine factory near the Eidgah. “According to state government’s own rules, no wine factory can be opened within 200 metres of a religious place. But here this wine factory is very near the Eidgah,” he said and demanded the government to immediately remove it.
Now LJP leaders met and talked to DGP seeking his intervention to ensure innocents are not harassed. On Thursday they are going to meet home secretary of the state.