E-Paper
Atala violence: 128 persons charge-sheeted
On June 10 last year, Atala witnessed violence and arson after the Friday prayers: policemen were injured in stone-pelting and a truck and a few bikes were torched.
More than nine months after the arson and violence rocked Atala in Prayagraj, a total of 128 persons have been charge-sheeted in the case. The accused have been charged with causing violence, spreading religious hatred and conspiring for protests after the prayers over the alleged remarks against Prophet Mohammad by then BJP national spokesperson Nupur Sharma.
On June 10 last year, Atala witnessed violence and arson after the Friday prayers: policemen were injured in stone-pelting and a truck and a few bikes were torched.
Following the incident, the Kareli and Khuldabad police registered three FIRs in connection with the violence. The police had initially registered an FIR against 70 named and 5,000 unidentified persons under serious sections of IPC.
At least 106 persons, including the alleged mastermind of the violence Javed Mohd aka Javed Pump, were arrested in separate raids and jailed. The police invoked NSA against Javed and his house in Gaus Nagar area was demolished by Prayagraj development Authority (PDA) team on June 12.
In the first phase, the police had submitted chargesheet against 106 accused.
Police officials said that after second phase of investigation, fresh charge-sheet against 22 more persons, including All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha leader (AIKMS) Ashish Mittal and All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Shah Alam, was filed.
The police later declared rewards of ₹25,000 on corporator Fazal Khan, AIMIM leader Shah Alam, Zeeshan Rehmani, AIKMS leader Ashish Mittal and Umar Khalid, who, it claimed, were absconding. However, they received a stay on their arrest from the court.
