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Over 1 million attended Ijtema in Bulandshahr near violence spot: Officials
The Bulandshahr district administration claimed that around 1.5 million Muslims had assembled for the congregation despite permission for only two lakh people.
Around 1.5 million people had gathered for a three-day Islamic congregation called Tabligi Ijtema at Bulandshahr, near the place where an alleged cow slaughter triggered mob violence, in which a police inspector and a youth were killed.
The district administration has said that it issued multiple notices and warning to the organisers of the event which took place between November 30 and December 2. The notices were issued on December 1 and 2 followed by a reminder on December 6.
The district administration claimed that around 1.5 million Muslims had assembled in Bulandshahr for the congregation despite the organisers having obtained permission for only a gathering of two lakh people.
The event was held 40 km from Mahaw village where the alleged cow slaughter triggered violence. Inspector Subodh Kumar and a youth named
RK Gautam, a spokesman for the director general of police headquarters, said the Bulandshahr district administration had confirmed issuing notices to the organisers and warned about a huge gathering.
Amid a political furore over the killing of a police inspector and a youth in Bulandshahr in a case of mob violence, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday night ordered a thorough probe into the conspiracy over cow slaughter.
Police have filed two FIRs — one on the alleged cow slaughter and the other on the mob violence.
Yogesh Raj, the main accused in the Bulandshahr violence who has been absconding since Monday, issued a video message Wednesday claiming innocence, saying he was not present at the site.
An army soldier, Jeetendra Malik or Jeetu Fauji, who was purportedly seen in a video firing during the violence, which is said to have resulted in the killing of the inspector, has been handed over to the police by the Army.
