At least six killed in anti-Muslim violence after mosque demolition in India
At least six people have been killed in India and dozens severely injured during communal clashes against Muslims after the demolition of a mosque and an adjoining madrasa by the authorities in the northern State of Uttarakhand.
The municipal authorities in Haldwani bulldozed the Mariyam mosque and the Abdul Razzaq Zakariya madrasa on Thursday, saying it was an “illegal” construction. Afterward, the locals came out to protest.
The authorities arrived at approximately 3:30 pm local time along with bulldozers, and proceeded with the razing with force, even after the locals demanded to produce a demolition order. “When the police arrived with bulldozers, the men were at work. When the women protested the demolition, the police baton charged and tear gassed us,” resident Najma Khanum, 21, told Al Jazeera.
Reports say that the demonstration turned violent and the police said Muslims stone-pelted and torched vehicles in retaliation, which prompted the police to fire at the gatherings.
“People came out to protest, police lathi-charged (baton charged) and fired rubber bullets, and tear gas shells at the residents, injuring those who had gathered to protest the demolition,” a resident, Ahmad, told The Observer Post.
According to the Maktoob media website, a Muslim shop owner in the area, who was hit by the rubber bullet fired by the police while trying to save the women protesters, said, “Police were brutally beating women with lathis, misbehaving with us, throwing Islamophobic slurs like ‘katwe’ and ‘mulle’.”
“While we were being beaten up by the police, a mob set the transformer of the area on fire which resulted in a power outage, and police took advantage of that too. We were surrounded by the police from each side,” he added.
“They would have killed all of us (Muslims), as they were attacking us without counting or looking. Just aimless beating but targeted attack.”
“I cannot tell you in words the kind of brutality unleashed upon us and our women but they aim to make India, Palestine for Muslims,” a local told Maktoob.
In the midst of intensifying tensions, the state government granted authorization to security personnel to employ lethal force against any individuals causing disruption. Additionally, a directive was issued to shoot-on-sight rioters.
ME
