By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Kolkata/Paschim Medinipur: Hours before the visit of President Pranab Mukharjee in West Bengal’s Medinipur district, communal tension rose in the locality under Keshpur Police station after a Police constable allegedly entered the mosque with his shoes on and shouted anti-Muslim slogans.
According to reports, a police constable Anjan Pal allegedly entered the mosque in the premise of 63 year old `Khariji Madrasa’Madrasah Misbahul Uloom in Mugbasan village under the Keshpur Police Station and chanted anti-Muslim slogans, just before the Maghrib prayer on Saturday in the evening. Angered Namazi and local Muslims blocked the road, demanding immediate arrest of the ‘guilty’ constable.
Fearing the situation could go out of control, district administration immediately swung into action and has deployed a company of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) to keep the situation under check. The ruckus was on till midnight, at the time of filing of this story.
President of Madrasa Misbahul Uloom, Sheikh Ramzan Ali told TCN that, at the time of evening prayers (Magrib Namaz) a newly recruited police constable of Keshpur police station Anjan Pal entered the mosque straight away, without even removing his shoes around 6 PM allegedly on lookout for a suspected ‘wanted’ person.
As he kept moving with his shoes on inside the mosque and proceeded towards the site from where Khutba is delivered, Mussalli objected to him and requested him to maintain the sanctity of the mosque. According to Ramzan Ali, musallis (those offering namaz) urged him to wait outside and even told him that he can arrest his suspect after the namaz if at all here was present there.
According to Ramzan Ali, at this Anjan Pal lost his temper and started shouting anti-Muslim slogans, accusing those present in the mosque to be ‘Maoists and Pakistani’. He allegedly also said that this is not a mosque but a ‘cow shed’ and threatened them to ‘convert the place into Gujarat.’
Villagers then retorted to protest and held the constable, after informing the Kespur Police Station immediately. According to reports, in no time a number of Police personnel from the Keshpur Police Station, led by Officer in Charge (OC) arrived.
Over 5000 people are believed to have barricaded the police force, blocked the main road and demanded immediate arrest and suspension of the Police constable. According to reports, local Muslims wanted written assurance from the administration, although the OC had given verbal assurance of actions if the constable was found guilty. At the time of filing of this story, the Constable was not yet arrested.
Ramzan said, the secretary of the Madrasa Misbahul Uloom Mufti Usman Ali had requested to OC of Keshpur to arrest the accused on the spot, but he refused. They are hence demonstrating until the higher police authorities arrive and assure of them of legal actions.
Anjan Pal was recognized by the local Muslims to be the son of Arun Pal, residing in the neighbouring Hindu dominated village of Purunberia, 5km away from Keshpur PS. As the news of his detention inside the mosque reached Purunberia, locals were gathering to ‘rescue’ him, but were deterred by the presence of RAF personnel.
According to village elders, there appears to be some kind of conspiracy to ferment communal tension in Medinipur just before the visit of President Pranab Mukharjee, who will attend the 125th year celebrations of Ghatal Vidyasagar High School and inaugurate its new building at Ghatal in West Medinipur on Sunday, 15 September.