Muzaffarnagar, Jul 2: Communal tensions gripped parts of Muzaffarnagar in village in western Uttar Pradesh after miscreants allegedly linked to a saffron outfit gheraoed a masjid to attack Muslims and later hurled bombs.
The Imam and half a dozen men sustained injuries when the bomb exploded in the Masjid in Muzaffarnagar's Bhumma village.
The injured Imam, Mohammad Muneer, told the police that someone hurled two bombs inside the mosque on Tuesday. Police have recovered a third crude live bomb from the masjid compound.
Remained besieged mosque
Prior to this a group of Muslims from Bhumma village remained besieged in the masjid for half a day after it was surrounded by saffron brigades protesting the killing of a Hindu youth nearby.
The Muslims were rescued on Tuesday afternoon after police dispersed the mob with a lathicharge and by firing shots in the air.
The besiegement and bomb attack come a day after Satveer Kashyap, a Sangh Parivar activist was shot dead by a few miscreants belonging to minority community.
It is learnt that the victim and accused were friends in the past. Their friendship had turned into animosity after Kashyap allegedly attacked their relatives during a communal riot last year.
Soon after 25-year-old Kashyap was shot by motorcycle-borne assailants on Monday night outside his house in Bhumma dozens of Sangh Parivar activists gathered in the area and staged a violent protest.
Police said the mob pelted stones and even fired weapons. “Several Muslims who live close to the area took refuge in the mosque. They remained there till Tuesday afternoon till we rescued them after dispersing the mob,” a senior police officer said.
He added that a police constable was injured in the mob rampage. The protesters also torched a vehicle and damaged several others.
Murder accused held
Police said two of Satveer’s assailants — Yaqub and Monu — have been arrested. “We have arrested two persons, while a massive hunt is on to arrest the other two. The situation in the town is tense but under control,” said Rakesh Jolly, Superintendent of Police (Crime), Muzaffarnagar, who has camped in the area since Monday night.
“A compensation of Rs 5 lakh has been announced from the Chief Minister’s discretionary fund, while a note has also been forwarded to the government for a job for victim’s younger brother Arjun. The locals demanded a compensation of Rs 25 lakh initially but a settlement was reached,” said Ram Kishan Sharma, ADM (Finance).
This is the third incident that has led to communal tension in western Uttar Pradesh in recent times. On June 27, in Rampur Maliharan in Saharanpur, one Wasim died in cross-firing between two communities. In Bhojpur, Ghaziabad, the next day, 18 persons were injured following a row over the use of loudspeakers in a temple next to a mosque during evening prayers.
Comments
Add new comment