Hisar: A local court today sent Anil, who was arrested with regard to the thrashing a youth at a mosque here, to 14-day judicial custody. The police are trying to identify other persons on the basis of a CCTV camera footage of the incident.
Meanwhile, local Muslims say they are still fearful as the police have failed to nab the persons who were leading the procession and thrashed a youth belonging to the community at the mosque here two days ago. The police, however, say proper force has been deployed near the mosque and there is no threat to anybody.
“We feel that the police are under pressure from the government. That’s why persons, who were leading the procession and attacked one of our community members at the mosque, are still roaming free,” Harphool Khan Bhatti, state pradhan of the Muslim Kalyan Committee (MKC), said while speaking with The Tribune.
“These people arrived at the mosque with an intention to spark riots. They tried to terrorise us. They are responsible for the attack and must be brought to book,” he alleged.
Hoshiar Khan, another MKC leader, said their family members, especially children, were still frightened. “Though we have got support of local people, outfits such as the Bajrang Dal and the VHP are trying to vitiate communal harmony,” he said while demanding a fair probe into the incident. He doubted the state government would get a fair inquiry conducted in the case.
Aabid Hussain, who was present in the mosque when the incident occurred, said they hid themselves in the mosque for about half an hour while making calls for help. “The protesters hurled abuses at us while calling us out. I stayed indoors but trader Haroon, who had come to supply mangoes to a fruit whole seller, went out to inquire about the incident. He was manhandled and slapped,” he said. “I instantly asked Haroon to come into the mosque and bolted ourselves in a room,” he added.
Meanwhile, SP Manisha Chaudhary said they were trying to identify Bajrang Dal activists through the video footage. “Anil, who was arrested in the case, has identified a person among the protesters but has failed to name others. The investigation is going on to identify Bajrang Dal activists who participated in the procession,” she added.