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Ghaziabad: Muslim families targeted by Hindu outfit may not return to Guldhar, say neighbours
A group belonging to the saffron outfit allegedly attacked several Muslim families in the area alleging that they were nationals of Bangladesh
Shyama Devi, a resident of shanties near Guldhar railway station, is not very optimistic that her Muslim neighbours will ever return to the neighbourhood after they were allegedly singled out, beaten and their houses damaged by members of Hindu Raksha Dal on July 9.
The area is a temporary settlement for ragpickers and others engaged in minor jobs. A group belonging to the saffron outfit allegedly attacked several Muslim families in the area alleging that they were nationals of Bangladesh, where Hindus were allegedly being targeted following the ouster and escape of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, following a student-led uprising.
“The group arrived here armed with lathis and started beating up Muslim families and did not spare even the elderly. Everyone fled the spot and we do not know where they have gone. I don’t think they will return due to fear of being attacked and their belongings were also burnt down. These families were staying here for past four to five years and were selling carpets. All their goods were damaged and even the hens they kept as pets died in the attack,” said Shyama Devi, who hail from Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh.
The Ghaziabad police said Muslim families who were attacked were not from Bangladesh but from Shahjahanpur district in Uttar Pradesh.
The locals said the area where the shanties of those attacked stood is now a vacant plot after all their belongings and shanties were vandalised and later burnt.
The attackers had also prepared videos of the attack and circulated them, said police.
“We had about 75-100 shanties here and now only Hindus are left. All Muslim families have fled. We have no contact with them now, but earlier we were living together in harmony. Their shanties and belongings were burnt down. I feel that after experiencing all this, they might never return here,” said Anglesh Kumar, a man aged about 25, and engaged in scrap collection work.
The Ghaziabad police on July 10 registered an FIR suo motu against Hindu Raksha Dal chief Pinky Chaudhary and 15-20 of his followers. On the night of July 10, the police arrested Chaudhary and his accomplice Badal Singh.
They both were remanded in judicial custody on Sunday after being produced before a magistrate. This was after the Ghaziabad police added one more section, 326(g) (use of fire or explosive substance to burn down building or dwelling), to the FIR.
The incident happened in police presence as indicated in the FIR.
The Ghaziabad police in this FIR said, “Chief of HRD along with 15-20 others attacked and damaged shanties of Muslims living in the area while alleging that they were Bangladeshis. They damaged three to four shanties. We tried to make them understand but they did not accept that the Muslims living in those shanties were not Bangladeshis, and continued to beat them up and also resorted to sloganeering…”
The testimonies of victims, including women, will play a crucial role in building a strong case against the suspects, said police. However, they remain untraced.
Police said that they may add more Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections as per evidence.
“The families which fled have not returned, although we identified them and medical examination of two persons was initially conducted. We will trace them and get their statements recorded to aid the investigation. WE are working on identifying more suspects,” said Abhishek Srivastava, assitant commissioner of police, Kavinagar.
