Unidentified men open fire at Gurugram mosque, FIR filed

A group of unidentified men opened fire at a mosque in Dhankot village on Saturday night, the police said, adding that nobody was injured in the incident.

A group of unidentified men opened fire at a mosque in Dhankot village on Saturday night, the police said, adding that nobody was injured in the incident.

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According to the police, an FIR was registered on Sunday against unidentified men on the basis of the complaint by the Imam of the mosque, who was sleeping on the terrace of the building when the incident took place. However, he did not hear the sound of the gunshots, the Imam said in the complaint.

The police said that they found at least one ejected shell casing near the gate of the mosque. Although the motive behind the firing is yet to be established, the police have denied any communal angle to it.

In the police complaint, the Imam, who is a resident of Nuh, said, “I have been working as Imam in Kherki Majra. On Friday, the Imam of Jama Masjid, Dhankot, asked me to take care of the premises as he was going out of station. On Sunday around 6.44am, I received a phone call from him. He informed me that the residents of the village have told him that gunshots were fired in front of the mosque. I was sleeping on the first floor during the night and did not hear the gunshots.”

The Imam further said that when he went downstairs, he saw a crowd in front of the mosque. The residents allegedly told him that they heard sounds of gunshots being fired around 12 am. After inspecting the area near the mosque, the Imam allegedly found an ejected shell casing and saw a bullet hole on the gate of the mosque, the police said.

“Residents told me that they heard at least three gunshots. I do not know the people who fired them. But I believe that there are some people who want to destroy the harmony and brotherhood in the area,” the Imam, requesting anonymity, said.

Pankaj Kumar, station house officer, Rajendra Park police station, said that the suspects are yet to be identified. “We are investigating the case. An ejected shell casing was found near the spot. There is no communal angle to the incident,” he said.

A police official privy to the investigation, requesting anonymity, said preliminary probe suggested that there were at least three men who came at the spot in a car and fried the gunshots.

A case was registered against the suspects under Section 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Arms Act at Rajendra Park police station on Sunday, the police said.