By Rehan Ansari, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: Violence erupted on Friday when some youths found burnt pages of Quran in the Mittal Ground in Mumbra, a densely populated locality near Mumbai. Police, Rapid Action Force and Para Military Forces soon reached the area to help local police maintain law and order. On Thursday night there was mass marriages program at the ground.
“Provoked by the situation youth agitated and started blocking roads in Mumbra. Police tried to stop them but it was difficult to control leaderless mob” said Mohammed Zafar Ansari, President of Mumbra unit of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind.
It was in the night of Thursday, when people blew firecrackers to celebrate a joint marriage function of Muslim, Hindu and Christian that took place in the Mittal Ground.
When this morning local people saw burnt pages of Quran they went berserk. They burnt vehicles, pelted stones on buses and cars. To control the situation Police lathi charged, fired tear gas shells.
When the social workers saw the situation going out of control they came together and appealed for peace.
“Mufti Abdul Basit, General Secretary of Jamiat Ulema, Zafar Ansari of Jamaat Islami, Asadullah Sir of Unique Classes, we all toured all over Mumbra in van appealing for peace,” said Zafar Ansair. He also said that when they were addressing people to remain peace, a contingent of RAF came and started beating people.
“When we reached Kausa and were appealing to the people, RAF came and started beating people who were listening to our speech,” he added. “We tried to calm down the forces and call them not to beat the people who were peaceful. We are going to Police station now to lodge the complaint and to appeal the police officers not to arrest innocents,” said Zafar Ansari.