E-Paper
Miscreants vandalise shops of Muslim traders in Panipat, 25 booked
The miscreants targeted a barber shop owned by Shahnawaj of Bijnor of Uttar Pradesh and a chicken shop owned by Irshad, a resident of Kairana of Uttar Pradesh. The victims alleged that the accused also robbed them of their money and fled after damaging the properties. A woman sustained minor injuries on her arm.
Tension prevailed in Krishna Garde locality of Sector 25 in Panipat city on Sunday when a group of unidentified miscreants vandalised the properties owned by Muslims.
The miscreants targeted a barber shop owned by Shahnawaj of Bijnor of Uttar Pradesh and a chicken shop owned by Irshad, a resident of Kairana of Uttar Pradesh. The victims alleged that the accused also robbed them of their money and fled after damaging the properties. A woman sustained minor injuries on her arm.
Soon after getting the information, Panipat superintendent of police Ajit Singh Shekhawat along with a police team reached the spot and recorded the statements of the victims.
Victims told the police that 20-25 masked youths with weapons came on bikes and targeted the shops owned by Muslims. They also attacked some street vendors and cosmetic shops by damaging the window glass. The CCTV footage from the locality shows youths with covered faces vandalising the shops.
This is the second incident in the past two days. The district authorities had announced the deployment in sensitive areas and even the deputy commissioner held a meeting with the members of both communities on Friday.
The Panipat SP said three FIRs have been registered as per the complaints of the victims and the police are also rounding up the accused.
Police said 25 unidentified people have been booked under Sections 148, 149, 188, 323, 379 B, 427 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code.
The police deployment has been increased in the area and police are taking the help of locals to maintain peace and harmony. Panipat remained tense since August 2 when the body of a 24-year-old man, Abhishek, who was killed in communal violence in Nuh was cremated at Noorwala in Panipat.
