By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Buldhana (Maharashtra): Police did not act impartially during the riots and provided opportunity to saffron forces to run their rage against Muslims, the Jalgaon unit of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind alleged today.
On April 17, Jamod village in Buldhana district of Maharashtra came under communal tension when members of two communities clashed after one community objected to raising of slogans on Ram Navmi celebration in an area that was observing funeral proceedings.
The incident had forced police to fire shots in the air and curfew was imposed in some areas till Tuesday.
Jamiat had sent a delegation to the town to take hold of the situation and to meet local police authority. The delegation was led by Mufti Haroon Nadvi, President of Jamita Ulama-e-Hind Jalgaon district who after visiting the affected areas told TwoCircles.net, “Police’s complicity in handling the situation is quite clear. Police not only were biased against Muslims during the riots but they maintained same attitude after the riots by arresting many Muslims”.
However, peace and calm has returned to the town and curfew is totally lifted but Nadvi alleges police could have been more effectively handled the situation if they were impartial.
“Many innocent people are beaten brutally by police and several Muslim youths have been arrested. Police’s role in handling the situation was apparent”, Nadvi told after meeting with the victims.
Nadvi who is also Maharashtra Minority chief of Samajwadi Party and a close aid of Abu Asim Azmi also told that police restricted his delegation from taking photographs of the damages that were done to Muslims which could be an attempt to cover up their unfairness towards Muslims.
“Innocent people who were beaten by police fear to file complaint and have taken a back seat. They are now planning to leave the town. Many families are leaving the town as they don’t trust police anymore,” he added.
“Police complicity is evident from the fact that a mosque is torched in the area and police did not stop angry mob”, he further added.
Earlier local media reported that worship places of both communities were damaged by the angry mobs. It is also reported that elders of both the community undertook a peace rally on Tuesday denouncing the communal act and displaying commitment to maintaining communal harmony.
Meanwhile, Jamiat is providing help to the victims by collecting ration and other necessary items from neighboring towns. An appeal to the effect was made after Friday prayer in many mosques to donate for the cause.
Related:
Curfew imposed in Jamod, Maharashtra due to communal tension