Women cops were stabbed and molested by mob: cops

The women constables present at Azad Maidan, who were trying to manage the crowd after a law and order situation broke out on Saturday, were not only molested by the unruly crowd, but also stabbed, the police claimed.

The women constables present at Azad Maidan, who were trying to manage the crowd after a law and order situation broke out on Saturday, were not only molested by the unruly crowd, but also stabbed, the police claimed.

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Two policewomen are admitted in GT hospital with fractures and other injuries. “Both women have sustained sharp wounds, but the doctors have not said if the weapons used were rods or knives,” a crime branch official said, on condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

Sources claimed that they had already registered a case of molestation after the policewomen complained of the misbehaviour.

The police are also studying the CCTV footage, video camera recordings taken by private people, including news channels, and various photographs that can help them identify the culprits behind the attack.

The police said the attack on women constables was without provocation.

“Identifying the culprits who molested and injured the policewomen is our top priority. The other is to find the accused involved in breaking the Amar Jawan Jyoti, the memorial of 1857 martyrs,” a source said.

The police had placed around 850 policemen, including several women constables, at the Azad Maidan on Saturday as they had anticipated trouble.

While the decision to deploy policewomen at the spot invited criticism from many, police officials claimed that they were needed, as many women are present at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, which is very close to Azad Maidan. Also, there are several eateries nearby, which have many women visitors.

“In case any situation goes wrong, policewomen need to be present to help the other females in the area or to take them to a safe spot,” a police officer said, requesting anonymity.

Two people were killed and 63 injured, most of them policemen, after a mob went on the rampage on Saturday. The mob had stolen two police self-loading rifles and a pistol. Apart from this the police recovered knives, rods, sticks, a pistol with five rounds and other articles from the scene of crime.

The Developments

17 people have been called for questioning

August 11: Two people died and 63 were injured after a rally, organised by Raza Academy and Madina Tul Ilm foundation to protest the violence against Muslims in Assam and Myanmar, got out of hand.

August 12: The police arrested 23 persons and booked them for murder, attempted murder and offences such as dacoity, rioting, molestation and causing damage to property.

August 13: Home minister RR Patil claimed that intel reports had warned of a large crowd.

August 14: CCTV footage show 200 youth carrying sticks/rods boarding trains to CST.

Info on the dead people
Umar Sheikh, 22, reportedly died during the police firing. He had four criminal records registered against him – two for causing hurt and two of issuing threats Aftab Aktar Khan, 17, is suspected to have been murdered during the violence and not in the police firing.

Vandals may be from radical Sect
The police suspect that the vandals at the Azad Maidan rally on Saturday could be affiliated to the Ahle Hadees sect. “From the CCTV grabs we have obtained, it is clear that they came prepared for violence. They were dressed similar to Ahle Hadees followers,” said a senior crime branch officer, adding that most of them were from Kurla, Govandi and Mumbra areas, where the sect has a sizable presence. The police suspect that the miscreants were motivated by their preachers. The followers of Ahle Hadees sect, estimated to be around 20 to 30 million in India, follow stricter ways of Islam, which prevailed during the days of the Prophet and his contemporaries.