COMMUNAL RIOTS - 2016 January to April - 2016

Compiled By Fr. Paul G Documentation Centre∗

1. Communal tension in Sherkot after eve-teasing incident (7)

Bijnor: Communal tension erupted in Sherkot, Bijnor on Monday, when members of one community

staged a protest outside the police station demanding an FIR against a young man from another

community for allegedly attempting to rape a minor girl and beating her up. Ramesh Kumar, a

resident of Samna Sarai, said, "My 14-year-old daughter had gone to worship at the nearby temple a

young man, Vajid Ahmad attempted to rape her and beat her up. Her uncle, Harish Chand rushed to

the spot when she started shouting but the accused fled from the spot."BJP local leader, Kameshwar

Rajput and former chairman, Sherkot Nagar Palia, Sansar Singh were also present supporting the

protest. Station officer, Sherkot police station, Dharmendera Singh, said, "Prima-facie, the case

seems forged. A case will be registered after the investigation. The situation is in control in the area."

(Times of India 5/1/16)

2. Muslim rally turns violent, mob burns police station over Kamlesh Tiwari's remarks on

Prophet Muhammad (7)

Malda: Tension gripped West Bengal's Malda district after a mob torched the entire police station and

several vehicles over Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha leader Kamlesh Tiwari's remarks on Prophet

Muhammad. A massive Muslim protest rally against Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha was organised on

Sunday against Kamlesh Tiwari . Kamlesh Tiwari is facing the wrath of scores of Muslims for allegedly

making derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad. (Zee News 5/1/16)

3. Malda riots: What actually led to communal violence - 10 things to know (7)

Malda: West Bengal's Malda district continued to remain tense on Thursday after a mob reportedly set

fire to Kaliachak police station and over a dozen vehicles. Here's what actually led to the communal

violence:- - Tension gripped West Bengal's Malda district on Sunday after a mob torched the entire

police station and several vehicles during a protest rally against Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha

leader Kamlesh Tiwari- The protest rally was organised by a Muslim organisation - Anjuman Ahle

Sunnatul Jamaat (AJS) - Kamlesh Tiwari had allegedly called Prophet Muhammad the first

homosexual in the world. Tiwari's statement came a day after UP Cabinet minister and senior

Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan called RSS members homosexuals. - BJP is accusing Mamata

Banerjee's government of shielding the accused as only 9 out of 130 accused were arrested till

Wednesday. Also, 6 of 9 were let off with bail hours after the arrest took place. - Shamik

Bhattacharya, the lone BJP MLA in West Bengal, was detained on Wednesday. He was not allowed

to visit Kaliachak village, which had witnessed violence on Sunday. - The Centre has now sought a

report from West Bengal government on the Malda communal violence. Union Home Minister Rajnath

Singh is likely to visit West Bengal's Malda district on Jan 18- A huge amount of public properties

were due to mob attack - Malda district continued to witness violence for the third day- Section 144 is

still imposed in the area since Sunday night- Additional security forces including RAF jawan have

been deployed to control the situation and face any untoward incidentMalda's Kaliachak police station

falls in the Muslim-dominated Sujapur area in the district. Also, West Bengal will go to polls this year.

Earlier, around one lakh Muslims on had gathered in UP's Muzaffarnagar, demanding death penalty

for Kamlesh Tiwari. Tiwari is currently behind bars on charges of hate speech. (Zee News7//1/16)

∗ This is a collection of previously published news and views from the print as well as the electronic media, whose

reference marked at the end of each news items. Department of Documentation and Library (DDL) of the Indian Social

Institute, New Delhi neither claims to the veracity of the facts in the news nor subscribes to the views expressed.

4. Attempts to create communal tension in Goa in recent past: CM Parsekar (7)

Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Saturday said there have been attempts to disrupt

the communal harmony in the state in the recent past. "Goa has had communal harmony since the

liberation (from Portuguese rule) but in the recent past there have been attempts to disrupt it,"

Parsekar told a gathering on the occasion of Goa Legislators Day on Saturday. The chief minister,

however, didn't specify who was making "such attempts". "I appeal to my fellow colleagues, former

ministers, legislators to guide the government on its policies, and also help in tackling the forces

attempting to create communal discord," he said. Parsekar said his government will take along the

former legislators in the matters of governance.The former legislators being experienced should

intervene in the issues which have the potential to create communal discord, he said. The Legislators

Day is held to mark the commencement of first Assembly session of Goa on January 9, 1964. (DNA

9/1/16)

5. Communal riots in Uttar Pradesh: 4 dead in Jehanabad as Mankar Sankranti procession

targeted (7)

Lucknow, Jan 14: Incident of communal violence is reported from Uttar Pradesh as four people have

been reportedly killed inter-community clashes. According to local media reports, a procession related

to Makar Sankranti was being taken from Kanpur to Fatehpur. However, as they reached Jehanabad,

two groups began clashing against each other resulting into the death of four individuals. Tension

between two groups in UP’s Jahanabad area. Reports of stone pelting, firing and local shops set on

fire. At least six shops of local traders and 3 vehicles have been burnt by the rioters. The security

forces have rushed to the spot to take control of the situation. Uttar Pradesh government has imposed

section 144 between Fatehpur to Jehanabad in order to control the situation. Police have been alerted

across the state to prevent the communal fire from spreading. (ALSO READ: Azam Khan attacks BJP

for creating ‘communal tensions’ in Uttar Pradesh) Social tensions in Uttar Pradesh is at an all-time

high. Fringe elements within both major communities have left no stone unturned to polarize people.

Ever since the remarks of one right-wing leader Kamlesh Tiwari against Prophet Muhammad, Muslims

in the state have staged protest in several districts. The relaunching of Ram Janmbhoomi movement,

along with the reports of hooliganism by the minority community in West Bengal’s Malda has

escalated inter-community bitterness. (India.com 14/1/16)

6. District administration launches crackdown on rioters in Fatehpur during Sankranti

procession (7)

KANPUR: The administration on Friday cracked down on rioters in Fatehpur, a day after communal

violence broke out in the district over display of a model of the proposed Ayodhya temple at a

Sankranti procession. Police claimed more than two dozen people were arrested and patrolling was

intensified in the violence hit areas. "The situation in the district is peaceful. Altogether 27 persons out

of the 37 named in the FIR have been arrested for Thursday's violence. Nearly 250 other unidentified

persons have been booked and are now trying to zero in on the offenders with the help of video-

footage," police chief Rajiv Malhotra told TOI on Friday. He added the district authorities have

clamped section 144 in trouble hit areas to check any untoward incident. District magistrate Rajiv

Rautela told TOI that members of peace committees have been roped in to restore normalcy in the

affected areas. "QRT, RAF and Provincial Armed Constabulary staged a flag march to instill

confidence among the people," Rautela added. IG zone Brij Bhushan along with other senior officers

on Friday again visited the trouble-prone areas. He said that an alert has been sounded in adjoining

districts of Hamirpur, Kanpur and Kaushambi. He informed that prohibitory orders were in force to

keep unruly elements under check. "Section 144 has been imposed and strict vigil is being maintained

in the area," he added. The Friday namaz passed off peacefully at all mosques in the district as police

kept an eye outside mosques. No untoward incident has been reported Jahanabad, the epicentre of

Thursday's violence, or anywhere else in the district. Mot of the business establishments in

Jahanabad area, however, remained closed on Friday. At many junctions, the district officials were

witnessed urging shopkeepers to open their establishment, reports said. Tension had gripped

Jahanabad town in Fatehpur district after members of two communities clashed during a procession

on Makar Sankranti on Thursday. About a dozen persons were injured. A strong contingent of RAF

and PAC were rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control. Incidentally, VHP leader Pravin

Togadia and minister of state (MoS) for food processing industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti were in the

Jahanabad area to attend a programme at the Ram Talai temple during the time of the incident. As

the clash unfolded, Togadia was addressing a gathering at the temple where the Sankranti

procession was to culminate. Later, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, who is also the BJP MP from Fatehpur

constituency, told reporters at the PWD Guest House, that she had spoken to Union Home Minister

Rajnath Singh and the state government officials about the incident. "I have spoken to Union Home

Minister Rajnath Singh and demanded from him a high level probe into the Thursday's violence,

besides also had a talk with senior government officials of the state," she told reporters on Friday. She

added that Shobha Yatra on the occasion of Sankranti was an annual affair, which is taking place in

Jahanabad town since the last 35 years. For the last few years, people from adjoining districts also

used to throng the place and take part in it. Thursday incident was a complete failure on the part of

the district police and the administration for not being able to provide proper security measures to the

Shobha Yatra, despite being aware that it passes few sensitive areas en route.".. (Times of India

16/1/16)

7. 85 major anti-Christian incidents in 2015, claims NGO (7)

NEW DELHI: Citing 85 major incidents of alleged persecution of Christians across 20 states last year,

a report by a minority and human rights NGO says 2015 saw an unprecedented spike in "intolerance"

against the community. The report says on an average India saw one such incident of hate crime

against Christians a day last year. While the report terms Madhya Pradesh as the worst state,

followed by Telengana and Uttar Pradesh for such attacks, it calls Maharashtra the 'Hindutva capital'.

Delhi too, the report says, is among the top 10 states that saw such incidents, with five Catholic

churches vandalised and assaults on priests and community members. The Catholic Secular Forum

(CSF) in its report claims that at least seven pastors were killed and 8,000 Christians (including 6,000

women and children) targeted in 2015. The report cites incidents from across the country -- from

Arunachal Pradesh, where suspected Hindutva fundamentalists attempted to attack Christians and

whip up mass hysteria by quoting the Census 2011 data, and Chhatisgarh, where there is an alleged

ban on religious activities other than of Hinduism, to Himachal Pradesh where the CPWD wrote off

the Shimla CNI Church as a government property, and Tamil Nadu, where Bibles were thrown on the

road to incite community members and create tension.Hundreds of protesters Nuns, priests and

archbishops chanted Hail Mary on the streets of Bengaluru in Feb 2015 as Christians took out a

procession in the city against the recent attacks on churches in Delhi. "There is at least a 20%

increase in the incidents in terms of the number of people victimized as against 2014. The real

numbers are much higher as many don't want to report such incidents as the police force is

communal. Then we have incidents from areas where RSS is very dominant and victims are

threatened to not report the attacks. In some cases the media is also biased. Being less in number,

Christians can't fight back," says CSF general secretary Joseph Dias. Claiming a significant rise in

Hindutva ideology in 2015, the report claims that RSS and its 38 ideological affiliates have

consolidated in almost every sphere of activity, and are "preparing to strengthen their hold on the

country's polity". "With the BJP government in the Centre, there is huge increase in RSS shakhas.

Even though there is no BJP government in Kerala, the state has the highest number of shakhas.

West Bengal, whic has long been under communist rule and is now governed by liberal forces, BJP

has a strong hold over five districts where reconversions are picking up. There is saffronisation of

secular institution and in every sphere secular activities have been saffronised -- be it in the northeast,

Tamil Nadu, Kerala or Goa," claims Dias"Earlier Gujarat was the Hindutva capital but now it is

Maharashtra. The biggest ever rally of RSS was held in Pune where 1.50 lakh people participated.

Rationalist like Narendra Dabholkar and others are being threatened. And the anti-conversion bill has

been admitted in the Maharashtra Assembly. There is one Narendra Maharaj who claimed to have

reconveretd 2,000 Christians to Hinduism in 2015 and his headquarter is also in Maharashtra. Saffron

terror attacks somehow have their roots in Maharashtra," says Dias. (Times of India 18/1/16)

8. Gujarat riots convict arrested for allegedly attacking journalist Revati Laul (7)

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat riots convict Suresh Chhara, who was out on parole, was arrested in

Ahmedabad on Thursday for allegedly attacking journalist Revati Laul. Laul, who is writing a book on

the convicts in the 2002 Naroda Patiya massacre case, said she was attacked by Chhara when she

visited his house in Naroda area of Ahmedabad late on Wednesday evening. Laul said Chhara

slapped her when she asked him to share information about his past. "I visited him at his house and I

politely asked him if he wanted to share information about himself, his past and family. Without

provocation, he started slapping me," she said. "I kept meeting his family members regarding my

book. Last year in July, his wife telephoned me saying Chhara raped her while he was released on

parole and asked for my help, I helped her to get a lawyer and lodge a complaint," she added. Chhara

has been convicted to 31 years in prison for his involvement in the Naroda Patiya massacre, in which

97 people were killed during the 2002 communal riots. He was out on parole. "My question is how the

court could give him parole despite knowing the fact that he attacked his wife last time when he came

out," Laul told reporters. "How can the country feel secure if the courts are unable to save the

common people from these convicts?" she asked. (Times of India 21/1/16)

9. 1984 anti-Sikh riots: 400 victims await compensation in Madhya Pradesh (7)

JABALPUR: Madhya Pradesh high court (MPHC) on Friday issued notice to state's home department

seeking explanation over undue delay in awarding compensation to victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Riots were triggered across India following the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi

by her bodyguards on October 31, 1984. Sikh families residing in several cities of MP were attacked.

However, MP government does not have exact record of such families, said sources. Petitioner

Manjeet Singh Saluja said that there are around 400 riot victims living in Indore, Shivpuri and Damoh

districts awaiting compensation for the last 32 years. Many of them are ailing and battling for life

amidst extreme financial crisis. Double bench (Jabalpur) comprising Justice A M Khanwilkar and

Justice Alok Aradhe has sought explanation from the home secretary for the delay. Saluja claims that

collectors in these three districts had sent a proposal for compensation to the state home department

in 2013 followed by reminders in 2014 and 2015, but to no avail. In August 2015, Rashtriya Sikh

Sangat -- an affiliate of Rashtirya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) -- had also demanded that 1984 anti-

Sikh riots' victim families in Madhya Pradesh be identified and given compensation announced by the

Centre. Rashtriya Sikh Sangat had requested the Madhya Pradesh CM that he should immediately

identify the victim families and disburse Rs 5 lakh compensation to each, as announced by the Union

government. Cities like Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur and Bilaspur were worst affected by the riots. Sangat

is also preparing a list of Sikh families that were victims of the riots. A delegation of this organisation

had also met MPCM requesting that those who led the attack on Sikh families be charged under

relevant sections. In 2006, the UPA government led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had

announced a package of Rs 717 crore, including a monetary compensation of Rs 3.5 lakh to each

killed in the riots. Financial assistance was also announced for injured and lose of property. Nearly

3325 people were killed in the communal riots, of which 2,733 were killed in Delhi alone while rest of

the victims were from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and other states.

(Times of India 22/1/16)

10. Cong, BJP slam Ajmal's 'communal' remarks (7)

Guwahati: The BJP and Congress on Friday launched a scathing attack on AIUDF chief and MP

Badruddin Ajmal for his statement asking minorities of the state to unite before the assembly

election.At a public rally at Baghbor in Barpeta district on Thursday, Ajmal said all Hindus of the state

had united after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Assam and it was time for Muslims to

unite as well. The BJP demanded that Ajmal be arrested immediately. The saffron party took out a

protest march in the city and burned the perfume baron's effigy. The party's national vice-president

and MP Bijoya Chakravarty accused Ajmal of preparing a blueprint to incite communal tension before

the election.President of BJP's minority wing Mominul Awal said Hindus and Muslims in Assam had

been living peacefully for decades but Ajmal had resorted to emotionally blackmailing poor Muslims

for votes. Congress vice-president Ripun Bora also criticized Ajmal for his statement. (Times of India

24/1/16)

11. Communal clashes in Moradabad (7)

Moradabad: Communal clashes broke out in Lalbaagh locality under Mughalpura police station here

on Monday evening. There was heavy brick-batting from both sides and one policeman was injured.

Several vehicles, including a police patrolling jeep, were damaged during the clash that took place on

the road which connects to the Mughalpura area. Heavy police force has been deployed in the area

and hunt for the rioters is on. Section 144 of CrPc has been imposed in the city ahead of the Republic

Day celebrations. According to police, clashes broke out between two communities over the issue of

milk purchasing from a local shop in the Lalbaagh area. Speaking to TOI, senior superintendent of

police, Moradabad, Nitin Tiwari, said, "The violence has been controlled and heavy police force has

been deployed in the area. The search for rioters is on and they will be arrested soon." Police has

also order cyber cell sleuths to monitor social networking sites and takes action against those found

spreading rumours online. (Times of India 25/1/16)

12. Mob violence in Bharat Nagar leaves 10 injured as charges fly thick and fast (7)

Delhi: violence, bharat nagar Senior officers including JCP Sanjay Singh (above) and DCP Vijay

Singh have been patrolling the area. Prem Nath PandeyAt least 10 people have been injured in

clashes over two days that broke out between Valmikis and Muslims in northwest Delhi’s Bharat

Nagar, following allegations of a girl being molested by a Muslim boy. Despite police presence, a mob

attempted to set afire a house and hurled stones at the local mosque. Though extra security

personnel were deployed after a skirmish Saturday night, fresh clashes erupted Sunday night as

residents hurled stones, bricks and resorted to physical violence. While no violence was reported till

Monday evening, Section 144 (prevention of unlawful assembly) has been imposed in Bharat Nagar’s

Sangam Park locality. Senior police officers, including JCP Sanjay Singh and DCP Vijay Singh have

been patrolling the area. According to police, the clashes erupted Saturday night after a Muslim youth

was beaten up. Police sources said locals alleged he had molested a Hindu girl inside her house. The

clashes, which occurred despite police presence, left at least 10 injured from both communities. Ten

companies of security forces have been deployed to ensure peace. DCP Vijay Singh said a case of

molestation was registered and the youth, Abid (18), arrested. Following the clashes, eight persons

were arrested for rioting. “Section 144 has been imposed and the situation is under control,” said

Singh. Police have arrested nine persons in all and lodged three FIRs at Bharat Nagar Police station

in the past two days. Sangam Park residents, however, alleged it was a fight between two families

which was given a communal angle by outsiders. It began Saturday evening when Abid, a Delhi

University student, was allegedly caught inside the house of a girl who lived in his neighbourhood.

The boy’s family said he had gone to deliver momos to the girl and her relative, who are known to

them. Mushtaq, Abid’s brother-in-law, said, “He had gone to deliver the momos to her and her bhabhi.

But the girl’s brothers beat him up and took him to the local police chowki (Sangam Park located in

Block B).” “We rushed to the chowki but they kept beating him in front of the police. We requested

police to stop them but nothing was done. He was then taken into custody,” said Mushtaq. “A few

minutes later at about 8 pm, a group of Hindu youth carrying sticks gathered outside the chowki…

They suddenly ran towards us and stared to pelt stones,” said Mohammad Riyaz, who works in a

shop nearby. Shops were shut immediately as clashes intensified between the groups for at least two

hours till police personnel reached the area. “Both sides threw stones and glass bottles at each other.

It only stopped when police reached,” added Riyaz. The area remained tense on Sunday as well

when over 500 people from both communities gathered at a park near the chowki at 4 pm. “It was

complete negligence on the part of police as they had asked people to gather at the park for a peace

meeting,” said 65-year-old Abdul Khalid, who runs a general store in Block B. (Indian Express 2/2/16)

13. Revive communal violence bill, urge Muslim leaders (7)

New Delhi: Following a series of arrests of Muslim youth for affiliation with the ISIS in the country, the

Modi government swung into action on Tuesday with home minister Rajnath Singh calling a meeting

of prominent Muslim leaders, seeking their help to wean away the youth from the dreaded terror outfit

and formulate counter tactics to ward off the ‘’radicalisation’’ attempts. At the first-of-its-kind meeting,

where the home minister, NSA Ajit Doval, IB chief and senior officers were present, the attempt was

also to bridge the ‘’trust deficit’’ between the Modi government and the minority community. Notably,

the Muslim leaders minced no words and demanded the revival of the Communal Violence

(Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, reminding the NDA government that the Bill

was piloted first by none other than senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj during the UPA-I tenure as the

chairman of parliamentary standing committee on home affairs. The Muslim leaders also minced no

words in demanding appropriate action on Hindu sena and other ring-winged outfits, a concern which

was dismissed by the Intelligence brass as a ‘’social media’’ creation but shot down by the Muslim

leaders who apprised the home minister of the media footage exposing them, top sources said. The

Muslim leaders demanded the setting up of an interfaith dialogue commission, on the lines in some

other countries, where social and religious leaders of all faiths can come together and discuss

significant concerns and a review Committee to review cases of 70,000 Muslims languishing in jails,

where in many cases chargesheets have also not been filed. They pointed out that the Communal

Violence Bill is urgently required to reign in officers who arrest ‘’innocent minority youth.’’ To tackle

ISIS threat, in a major step, it was decided that the Imams will appeal to the youth through Friday

prayers in mosques across states not to fall prey to the evil designs of the ISIS which is not working in

the interests of the Muslim community but is mis-using the faith to attract the gullible youth to

perpetrate violence. Offering suggestions to the government to bring down communal incidents, Mr

M.J. Khan, president of Indian Muslims Research and Coordination Centre, said that the state

government’s Central assistance must be linked to bring down communal violence and states which

do so should be rewarded. Sources said while the focus of Tuesday’s meeting was largely Muslim

youth in the northern states, another meet of prominent Muslim leaders of Karnataka, Telangana,

Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala will be held soon to formulate strategy to counter the

influence of the terrorist group. (Asian Age 2/2/16)

14. Hashimpura records destroyed: UP cops (7)

Lucknow: The UP police, for the first time, has admitted having destroyed documents related to

deployment of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) during Hashimpura riots in 1987. The

documents could have helped establish the role of the PAC personnel in the riots. In the latest twist to

the case, SSP Meerut, in a letter to the CB CID, has stated that the documents related to the

deployment of PAC and their duty roster for Hashimpura for the month of May 1987, when the riots

took place, have been destroyed. The letter states that the records were destroyed in April 2006 as

per the provisions in place. The letter, dated January 30, 2016, has been sent in response to CB

CID’s requisition of the said documents. The Delhi high court, on a petition of the NHRC, had directed

the UP government to provide certified copies of the duty roster of the PAC personnel and police

officials who were deputed at Hashimpura in May 1987 when the said the killings took place. The

Hashimpura massacre took place on May 22, 1987 during the communal riots in Meerut. Nineteen

PAC personnel allegedly rounded up 42 Muslim youths from the Hashimpura locality bundled them

into a truck and took them to the outskirts near Murad Nagar, where they were shot dead. The bodies

of the victims were dumped in water canals where they were found floating a few days later. In May

2000, 16 of the 19 accused PAC personnel surrendered and were later released on bail while three

were already dead. The trial of the case was transferred by the Supreme Court in 2002 from

Ghaziabad to a sessions court in Delhi. It may be recalled that a Delhi court, last year, had acquitted

16 of the 19 PAC men who were accused of kidnapping and murder of 42 Muslims during riots in

Hashimpura. Three of the 19 PAC jawans had died in the course of the trial and the matter is still

pending before the Delhi Court where the Uttar Pradesh government and National Human Rights

Commission (NHRC) have appealed against the acquittal. None of the senior police officials in

Lucknow were ready to comment on the destruction of records when the trial in the case is still on.

(Asian Age 4/2/16)

15. Dalit girl dragged by group of youths in UP; incident sparks tensions (7)

Pilibhit: A Dalit girl was allegedly dragged from a rickshaw by a group of four youths and took her to a

secluded spot before the locals rescued the girl as the incident sparked communal tension in the

area. The girl was returning home Friday evening when four youths belonging to another community

dragged her from a rickshaw and tried to take her to a secluded spot, which was opposed by the

locals, police said. One of the accused was overpowered by the locals and handed over to the police

but he was let off after being charged under minor sections. The locals then resorted to brick batting a

religious place in the area. Senior officials, including the DIG rushed to the spot and brought the

situation under control, police said, adding that cross FIRs have been registered in the case. A person

was arrested in this connection on Saturday, police said. The Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC)

has been deployed in the area where the situation was tense but under control, they added.

(Hindustan Times 6/2/16)

16. Communal tension in Nagaland after couple shot dead (7)

Kiphire (Nagaland): Communal tension broke out in Kiphire district of Nagaland on Sunday after a

couple travelling in a car was shot dead by two motorbike-riding assailants. Section 144 of the Code

of Criminal Procedure that prohibits unlawful assembly has been imposed in the district. According to

police, the husband, a government school teacher belonging to the Sangtam tribe was travelling in a

car to a village with his wife, a nurse belonging to the Tikhir tribe. Both tribes have an age-old rivalry

over land issues. "Both the deceased were posted in Kiphire. They went to meet relatives in Shamator

village when they were shot dead by two unknown people on a motorbike," a police official told IANS.

As per a preliminary report, the two attackers belonged to the Yimchunger tribe, which is also involved

in land disputes with various other Naga tribes including Sangtam, Tikhir and Chang, police said. (The

Statesman 8/2/16)

17. UP had five communal riots in three years since ’12 (7)

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh witnessed five communal riots in three years between 2012 and 2015,

state parliamentary affairs minister Azam Khan told the Assembly on Tuesday. Replying on behalf of

the chief minister, Azam Khan informed the House that there were three riots in 2012 - in Bareilly,

Faizabad and Mathura - one in 2013 in Muzaffarnagar and another in 2014 in Saharanpur. The

question was raised by BJP MLA Suresh Rana. The state government has not only taken strict action

against the accused in all incidents of communal violence, but also adopted measures to prevent

recurrence in the state, the House was told. In another question asked by Jai Prakash Nishad of BSP

on criminal assault on women belonging to OBC and SC/STs, the government informed him that 805

women of these castes were raped in 2014 and 2015. (Times of India 10/2/16)

18. Situation remains tensed but peaceful at Bhojshala in MP.. (7)

New Delhi: Amid tension over performing worship at the disputed site Bhojshala in Dhar town of

Madhya Pradesh, the Bhoj Utsav Samiti on Friday shunned the site for conducting the special Basant

Panchami puja on a day when the Muslims also have been allowed a two-hour slot for their `juma

namaz` at the same place. "We find people inside Bhojshala who have nothing to do with Sarawati

puja . So, we will conduct our puja outside," Ashok Jain of the Bhoj Utsav Samiti said as he led the

Hindu devotees outside the site. A group Muslim people also offered prayers inside the disputed site.

While the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had scheduled Friday in a way that allowed both

Hindus and Muslims to use Bhojshala for their respective modes of worship, the Samiti had

demanded that the Hindus be allowed to use the site for the whole day in view of Basant Panchami.

The administration made tight and elaborate security arrangements around Bhojshala to prevent any

communal flareup. Bhojshala is a site in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh of what was believed to be a

Saraswati shrine built by Raja Bhoj, who ruled between circa 1000 and 1055, and the Kamal Maula

mosque. (Zee News 12/2/16)

19. Three more Muzaffarnagar riots cases end in acquittal (7)

Lucknow: AT LEAST three more cases related to the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, including a double

murder, have ended in acquittal. In all three cases, the witnesses turned hostile. The Indian Express

had earlier reported two cases, of a double murder and a gangrape, that had ended in acquittal on

February 5 and January 21, respectively, after witnesses retracted from their testimonies. Trial in 175

cases related to Muzaffarnagar riots is on, while eight cases are still under investigation. In four of the

five cases that have ended in acquittal, the government counsel was Sajid Rana. He was recently

removed by the state government following uproar over the February 5 acquittal in a 2013 riot

cases.On January 12, Additional District and Sessions Judge, Bagpat district court, Lal Chandra

acquitted five people accused of killing Shoaib, a 14-year-old, and Iqbal, 55, inside a mosque at

Bajidpur village in the district. Three persons, Zubair, Zahid and Yameen alias Yaseen, had been

injured in the attack. Seven people were named as accused following an investigation by the Special

Investigation Cell last year, including Amit, Subodh, Om Prakash, Sushil, Pramod, Mantu, and a

juvenile. Mantu died last year. All the 10 witnesses refused to support the prosecution theory in court,

including Shoaib’s grandfather Yameen and Iqbal’s eldest son Ilyas. The complainant in the case,

Kamruddin, a relative of Shoaib and neighbour of Iqbal, also turned hostile. “I have come to know

Kamruddin took Rs 10 lakh from the family of the accused to change his statement. He also gave

some money to my father Yameen to change his statement. Other witnesses also took money to give

statement in favour of the accused,” says Shoaib’s father Nazim. Nazim’s younger son, Zubair (9),

had also been injured in the attack. Nazim was away in Delhi at the time of the riots. The other

witnesses included another grandson of Kamruddin, five of his neighbours, and Zubair. Nazim, who

was given a government job at the tehsil office in Bagpat by the state government as compensation,

and his family have not returned to Bajidpur since the incident. They live at Deshraj, around 25 km

away, while Yameen stays with Nazim’s elder sister Ruksana in Baghpat. Kamruddin continues to live

in Bajidpur. Nazim says he is willing to continue the court fight. “Those who have got acquitted are

strong people, but if the state government promises to provide security to my family, I will file an

appeal against the judgment. I lost my son.” ….. (Indian Express 18/2/16)

20. Muzaffarnagar riots case: VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi surrenders in court (7)

Muzaffarnagar:VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi on Thursday surrendered in a court in Muzaffarnagar after

successive warrants were issued against her for failure to appear in connection with a 2013 riots

case. The court recalled the bailable warrant issued against her after she furnished a bond of Rs

20,000 and gave an undertaking that she will appear on the next date of hearing in the case. The

court had issued a fresh warrant against her after she failed to appear before it on January 23 despite

an earlier warrant that directed her to appear before it in connection with the same case on December

18. In December last year, Union minister Sanjeev Baliyan, BJP MLA Suresh Rana, BJP MP

Bhartendu Singh and four others had surrendered in a court here in connection with the case while

BJP MLA Sangeet Som had surrendered on January 19 this year. The court will hear the case on

February 23. The accused are facing charges under various sections of IPC for violating prohibitory

orders, deterring public servants from discharging their duties and wrongful restraint. The accused

allegedly participated in Nadala Mador mahapanchayat meeting and incited violence through their

speeches in the last week of August 2013. The communal clashes in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining

areas in August and September 2013 had claimed 60 lives and displaced over 40,000 people. (Indian

Express 19/2/16)

21. UP govt to move high court on Muzaffarnagar riot verdict (7)

MEERUT: After uproar over the recent acquittal of 39 accused in the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots cases,

the UP government has said it will challenge the verdict in the Allahabad high court. District

magistrates of Muzaffarnagar and Shamli said they have already sent the documents needed for the

HC plea to the state government while Baghpat administration will send the required papers in the

next 48 hours.Muzaffarnagar DM Nikhil Chandra Shukla told TOI, "On the basis of the legal opinion

that we have got from the district government counsel and the recommendations from the police, we

have gathered all the necessary documents required for an appeal in the Allahabad high court and

sent it to the law department. The procedure for filing an appeal in the HC is on." Shamli DM Om

Prakash Sharma said, "All the documents related to the acquittals of the accused from Shamli have

been sent to the state government." The judgment in all five cases related to the 2013 Muzaffarnagar

riots came in the past two months. A total of 34 people in four separate cases were acquitted by

courts in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli, while five were acquitted in a case in Baghpat. In most of the

cases, which led to the acquittal of the 39 accused for their role in the riots - some for murder while

others for gang rape and dacoity - the witnesses turned hostile. Meanwhile, Baghpat district

administration is completing the formalities since the ongoing Jat quota stir had delayed the process

here. DM Ajay Deep Singh said, "We are in the process of sending the documents related to

acquittals of the accused to the state government. The process has been delayed due to the Jat

quota stir in Baghpat and will be completed in another two days." A special investigation cell formed

by the state government to look into the 2013 riots probed a total of 510 cases in which 1,550 people

were named as accused. The communal violence, which had broken out in September 2013 in

Muzaffarnagar and adjoining towns, had claimed over 60 lives and rendered above 50,000 people

homeless. (Times of India 22/2/16)

22. SC lifts 6-year-old stay, allows judgment in Gulbarg case (7)

NEW DELHI: Fourteen years after a communal mob killed 69 people, including ex-Congress MP

Ehsan Jafri, during the 2002 post-Godhra riots in Gujarat, the Supreme Court on Monday cleared the

decks for the trial court to pronounce its verdict in the case. This is the second post-Godhra riot case

where the judgment will be delivered after former Gujarat CM Narendra Modi's election as Prime

Minister. In 2015, a special court had acquitted all six accused in the Prantij case, which involved the

murder of four people, including three British nationals, in 2002. A bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur

and justice U U Lalit agreed to lift its six-year-old stay on the pronouncement of judgment after amicus

curiae Bhargava Desai and the counsel for riot victims, Aparna Bhat, informed the court that the trial

had been completed in September last year. The SC had appointed a Special Investigation Team

(SIT) headed by former CBI director R K Raghavan to gather additional evidence in nine major riot

cases, including the Gulbarg Society case. It had, in May 2010, asked the trial courts to await the

fresh evidence collected by the SIT and not pronounce verdict in the nine cases even though they

were free to proceed with the trial. From time to time, on completion of trial proceedings after the SIT

had re-investigated the cases, the apex court lifted the stay on pronouncement of judgment by trial

courts. Gulbarg Society is the penultimate case, leaving only the Naroda Gam riot case - its trial yet to

be completed - with a stay on judgment.The SC-monitored SIT investigation had been a major

political sore point for the then CM Modi, though he had won successive assembly elections after the

riots.Jafri's widow Zakia had filed a complaint in the SC against Modi, his then council of ministers and

top bureaucrats as well as police officers alleging that they had deliberately acted slow during the

riots, which allowed mobs to inflict the maximum damage on Muslims after the arson attack on

Sabarmati Express that killed 59 karsevaks.The SC had asked the SIT to look into her complaint in

March 2009. The SIT had investigated the case and questioned Modi for nearly nine hours on March

27, 2010. However, in its report to the apex court, the SIT had said no incriminating evidence against

Modi was found after looking into the complaint. The SC had sent the SIT report to the trial court for

taking a decision. The trial court had accepted the report for closure of the case on December 26,

2013. An appeal against this order is pending with the Gujarat HC. During the trial in Gulbarg Society

case, 338 witnesses deposed. Of the 66 accused, nine are behind bars while others are out on bail.

(Times of India 23/2/16)

23. India sees rise in communal violence, UP leads states (7)

NEW DELHI: Communal violence witnessed a rise in 2015, with 751 incidents recorded across the

country as against 644 in 2014. According to data put out by the government in reply to a Lok Sabha

question on Wednesday, there was also a rise in casualties resulting from communal unrest last year,

with dead and injured up at 97 and 2,264 from 95 and 1,921 respectively in 2014. Incidentally, though

the indices of communal violence were 17% higher in 2015 as compared to 2014, they were lower

than the 823 incidents, 133 deaths and 2,269 injured reported in 2013, largely on account of the

Muzaffarnagar riots. Among the top states in terms of communal incidents were Uttar Pradesh (155),

Karnataka (105), Maharashtra (105), Madhya Pradesh (92), Bihar (71), Rajasthan (65), and Gujarat

(55). While UP and Karnataka are ruled by the Samajwadi Party and Congress respectively, three of

the above-mentioned states — Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat — are ruled by the BJP. A

year-on-year comparison, however, shows that while incidents in Madhya Pradesh witnessed a sharp

increase from 56 in 2014 to 92 last year, they declined in both Rajasthan and Gujarat.UP has not only

retained its position as the state with the highest number of communal violence, but also showed

higher incidents (155 as compared to 133 in 2014) and injured (up from 374 to 419). In fact, the

number of injured last year was higher than even 2013, when Muzaffarnagar riots contributed to the

state's 360 non-fatal casualties. UP remains the worst-hit state in the first month of the current year as

well, having reported 12 incidents, 1 death and 64 injured. Madhya Pradesh is a close second with 11

incidents, two deaths and 43 injured. The national figures for communal violence in January 2016

read 59 incidents, 6 deaths and 233 injured. Meanwhile, Bihar, which went to polls last year, saw 71

incidents and 20 deaths, up from 61 incidents and 5 deaths respectively in 2014. West Bengal, where

polls are due in a couple of months, also saw a 100% rise in communal incidents (from 16 to 32) over

the relevant period. The states that recorded low or almost nil communal violence were Andhra

Pradesh (4 incidents), Assam (3), Chhattisgarh (2), Tamil Nadu (3), Kerala (3), Odisha (0) and Punjab

(0). Though Haryana accounted for only 3 incidents, the number of injured was significantly high at

107 last year, nearly nine times the figure in 2014. This could be largely due to the communal

disturbances at Atali, Faridabad, in May-June 2015, over construction of a mosque. Maharashtra too

recorded a significant increase in casualties, with 322 persons getting injured due to communal

clashes in 2015 against 198 the year before. A similar pattern was seen in Karnataka, where incidents

grew from 73 to 105 and injured from 177 to 337. (Times of India 24/2/16)

24. Sardhana tense after rally by Dalits, Muslims (7)

Meerut: Sardhana town in Meerut is in the grip of tension after members of the Balmiki Samaj and the

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) took out a rally on Wednesday under the banner of

“Aarakshan Bachao Sangarsh Samiti” in which they allegedly raised slogans against Hinduism and in

favour of Islam. The sloganeering reportedly took place after a condolence meet for a Dalit youth

Kuldip, who was killed in Sonipat on February 21 during the Jats’ protests in demand of caste-based

reservation. The condolence meet was being held at a dharamshala near Bhatwada.An FIR in this

connection was registered late on Wednesday night, but no arrests have been made so far. In

response to the rally, activists of Vishwa Hindu Parishad staged a demonstration in the same area on

Thursday and demanded that a case of sedition be registered against three persons named in the

FIR. BJP MLA from Sardhana, Sangeet Som, told The Indian Express: “The Akhilesh government

should take immediate action and those responsible for the rally should be booked under sedition. We

will launch a sustained stir if action is not taken.” SP (rural) Praveen Ranjan said adequate force has

been deployed in the area. “A case for invoking communal sentiments, false propaganda against

religion and an attempt to block the road has been registered under various sections of the IPC. Raids

are being conducted to arrest three persons, Amit Chaudhary, Gaurav Parcha and Walli-ur-Rehaman

and six other unidentified persons,” he said. He also claimed that police have video recordings of the

rally, based on which action will be taken. Walli-ur-Reheman is chief of the AIMIM’s city unit. While he

admitted that he took part in the procession, he said no slogans were raised during the rally. Chief of

BJP’s UP unit Vineet Sharda met DIG (Meerut Range) Lakshmi Singh on Thursday and demanded

strict action in this regard. (Indian Express 26/2/16)

25. Communal Tension in Agra After VHP Leader's Killing (7)

AGRA: Four days after a VHP leader was murdered in Agra, the city was on Monday gripped by

communal tension. The situation is tense and ahead of the 13th day death ritual of the deceased

leader, the build up may snowball into a major confrontation with the state government, sources told

IANS. "This tragedy has brought all ranks of the Hindutva organisations together and could be taken

as a pointer to the 2017 assembly polls," they said. Heavy presence of security forces in the Nai ki

Mandi and Mantola police station areas, the deployment of the Rapid Action Force and 24-hour vigil

by senior officials have helped contain the build up so far. But speeches at a condolence meet on

Sunday evening by Bharatiya Janata Party leaders including HRD minister of state Ram Shankar

Katheria, local legislators and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Sadhvi Prachi who reached the

venue in disguise have only heightened tension in the city. Arun Mahaur, a VHP vice president, was

shot dead on Thursday in a busy market while returning from a temple. The incident has led to BJP

leaders along with other Hindutva groups converging on the city. BJP state president Laxmi Kant

Vajpayee was detained at Kasganj and prevented from reaching Agra. Other senior leaders are also

under constant watch, sources said. "When the authorities did not allow us to hold a meeting at the

deceased leader's residence, the venue was shifted to Jaipur House colony Ram Lila ground where

thousands gathered," Bajrang Dal leader Premendra Jain told IANS. VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi said

conditions in the state were as bad as in Kashmir and the Akhilesh Yadav-led state government was

indulging in minority appeasement. Union minister Ram Shankar Katheria accused authorities in Uttar

Pradesh of conspiring with anti-Hindu forces. BJP MP from Fatehpur Sikri Choudhary Babu Lal

warned the administration of serious ramifications if the state administration's partisan stance

continued. (New Indian Express 29/2/16)

26. Why PM mum on communal violence: NCP (7)

New Delhi: Claiming that politics of polarisation was being played since the BJP government took

over, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar lashed out at PM Narendra Modi for his

silence on communal violence, freedom of speech, a Dalit scholar's suicide in Hyderabad Central

University and the JNU row. "Communal fever is rising. An atmosphere of fear is being created in

which small groups and minorities are being targeted. But the PM never speaks about communal

incidents in his Mann ki Baat programme," Pawar told reporters. He also demanded sacking of Union

minister Ram Shankar Katheria over his alleged hate speech in Agra. Asked whether he felt the Modi

government was vindictive after NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal faced ED raids, Pawar said one should

not react immediately to such actions. (Times of India 2/3/16)

27. 2 of 14 missing teens of 2002 communal riots traced to Pakistan (7)

Ahmedabad: Two of the 14 teenagers who had gone missing after the 2002 communal riots in

Ahmedabad have been traced to Pakistan. This has been revealed by Gujarat police which with the

help of central agencies located the teenagers. Sources from the Gujarat Police said the duo that has

been traced to Bawahalpur, the place where Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) headquarters is located in

Pakistan, is from eastern Ahmedabad which witnessed major riots in 2002. "We have also got leads

about the third youth and are verifying his identity," said a top Gujarat police official. Highly placed

police sources said they had the photographs of the 14 youngsters who had gone missing after the

riots. "We interrogated a few persons recently and showed them the photographs. They have

identified two of them. More shocking is the fact that both the Ahmedabad youths are into terror

training imparted to other youths in Pakistan," said the official. The sources confirmed that they have

reports that the two youths are in direct contact with Pakistan-based Indian Mujahideen founder Amir

Raza Khan and Iqbal Bhatkal and are planning major terror strikes in India including Gujarat during

early next year. "We are worried as the coming year will be the election year for Gujarat and there will

be heavy VVIP movement then. We are in contact with central agencies and are working to avert

such possible strikes" the official added. The official said that the families of the two youths had not

suffered any causalities in the 2002 riots, but they had been displaced. "We suspect that the youths

were motivated and were helped by some terror elements in crossing over to Pakistan," said the

official. It is noteworthy that after the de-radicalizing initiative which was even discussed at the All

India DGP meet at Dhordo in December last year, Gujarat police had reopened the files of these 14

teenagers who had suddenly gone missing after the 2002 riots. (Times of India 6/3/16)

28. Muzaffarnagar Riots Panel Report an Eyewash: Mayawati (7)

LUCKNOW: BSP supremo Mayawati rejected the report of one-man judicial commission that probed

the 2013 Muzaffarnagar communal riots, tabled in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly yesterday, alleging it

was an "eyewash" to save the Samajwadi Party government. Claiming that due to public pressure the

government was forced to constitute the Vishnu Sahai judicial commission, the former Uttar Pradesh

Chief Minister said, "The report is an eyewash and has disappointed the justice loving people, as the

lackadaisical attitude of the government had done in the past".Mayawati alleged the report also

proved that the work of judicial commissions was "not to punish the guilty and deliver justice to

affected people, but to give clean chit to the government".She said even Congress and BJP

governments had done the same in the past. Mayawati said the Akhilesh Yadav government might be

feeling a sense of relief following the report, but warned "it would have to face the consequences".She

said time has come for 'sarv samaj', especially the Muslim community, to think what would be the

value of their lives, property and religion if SP government were to remain in power. Securing security

and justice for poor, women, farmers, unemployed, Dalits, religious minorities, especially Muslims

during the BJP rule at the Centre and SPs in the state has not only become difficult, but almost

impossible, she alleged. She said keeping it in mind "the bitter truth", these sections have to remain

alert and take political steps to protect their interests. The BSP supremo alleged that during the

Muzaffarnagar riots, there was heavy loss of life and property as there was "clear understanding"

between the SP government and BJP. She said the attitude of the government towards people

displaced during the riots was "insensitive and inhumane". As far as ensuring justice to the affected

people was concerned, the government failed to take action against BJP leaders, who were prima

facie guilty, Mayawati said. Mayawati alleged, "Due to lackadaisical approach of the government the

rioters and conspirators roamed like heroes".The one-man judicial commission of inquiry that went

into the 2013 Muzaffarnagar communal riots has concluded intelligence failure and laxity on the part

of police led to the violence that left 62 people dead but is silent on the role of the Akhilesh Yadav

government in the conflagration. 700-page report of the Justice Vishnu Sahai Commission also

accused the media of putting out exaggerated reports and spreading rumours that fuelled violence.

(New Indian Express 7/3/16)

29. Allahabad HC to hear PIL challenging Muzaffarnagar riots report today (7)

Lucknow, Mar.10: The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court will today hear the Public Interest

Litigation (PIL) challenging Justice Vishnu Sahai Commission’s report on the Muzaffarnagar riots. The

PIL has been filed by Allama Zafar Naqvi. The 775-page report, which was tabled in Uttar Pradesh

Assembly on Sunday, had come under cloud after a social activist has challenged its constitution in

first place. (Read: PIL in Allahabad High Court on quashing probe report on Muzaffarnagar riots) The

Justice Vishnu Sahai Commission has blamed the “negligence” of the local administration, the

“failure” of the intelligence agencies and exaggerated reporting in the social and print media for the

communal riots that left over 60 persons dead and 60,000 homeless in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining

districts. The commission was constituted to probe the reasons for the riots and the administrative

lapses in controlling the violence. Though the former Allahabad High Court judge identified 14 causes

for the violence, he has not indicted any SP leader or senior official or police officer. The commission

said no further action would be taken against BJP MLA Sangeet Som, who had uploaded on YouTube

a provocative fake video that was shot in Pakistan, until the investigation was completed. No penal

action would be taken against the then BSP MP for an inflammatory speech. (India.com 10/3/16)

30. Withdraw cases against Jat youth: Community leaders (7)

CHANDIGARH: Nearly a fortnight after the Jat agitation for quota that snowballed into violence in

Haryana, Jat leaders are closing ranks to get the promise of reservation executed by the state

government. Members of the All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS), a group led by

Yashpal Malik, announced that if the state government did not withdraw criminal cases registered

against Jat youths during the agitation, it would launch a peaceful agitation across the state. AIJASS

members will submit a memorandum to the state government at its district headquarters on March 14,

demanding withdrawal of cases registered against Jat youths. They will also ask the state not to

arrest anyone without holding a preliminary inquiry about their involvement in incidents of violence

from February 17 to 22. A decision to the effect was taken on Tuesday at the Chhotu Ram

Dharamshala at Nangloi in Delhi, in which Jat leaders from Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh

discussed future course of action.Talking to TOI on Wednesday, AIJASS president Malik said police

falsely implicated a large number of Jat youths and so they decided to request the state government

to withdraw cases against them. He said if the government failed to take action, a meeting would be

held in April to launch a non-cooperation movement by Jats in Haryana. Similar protests in support of

their demand will also be organised in UP, Rajasthan and Delhi, he said. As for further strategy, Malik

said their main focus is to ensure that all the seven demands of the Jat community, which the Centre

agreed to recently, are executed as promised. For this, he said, a committee of senior Jat leaders

from across Haryana will meet Union home minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president Amit Shah and the

coordination committee of Union ministers requesting them to implement reservation for Jats as per

their promise. AIJASS also prepared a formula for implementation of the other backward classes

(OBC) quota for the Jat community at the Centre. When asked about the violence during the

reservation row, Malik claimed that some politicians, belonging to Gujjar, Saini, Ahir and Punjabi

communities of the ruling BJP, were eyeing the post of chief minister in Haryana and had perpetrated

communal tension in the state to further ulterior motives. Leaders of those communities in other

political parties, including INLD, Congress and BSP, he said, were maintaining brotherhood in the

state. In Jhajjar, Rohtak, Bhiwani and Sonipat, a few leaders of the ruling party and officers affiliated

with the BJP were involved in triggering incidents of violence, Malik alleged. He also accused a few

television channels owned by political leaders of inciting violence. (Times of India 11/3/16)

31. Riot report begs for answers (7)

The one-man Vishnu Sahai Judicial Commission of Inquiry probing the 2013 Muzaffarnagar

communal riots has raised more questions than it has answered. No wonder then that barring the

ruling Samajwadi Party, the Commission's report has been criticised by all political parties. A PIL has

already challenged it in the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court. Tabled in the state

Assembly on March 6, the 700-page report concludes that Intelligence failure and laxity on the part of

police led to the violence that left 62 people dead and almost 50,000 homeless. It lists 14 main

causes for the riots. The state government has also circulated an eight-page Action Taken Report,

which is equally baffling. Scrutinising the action of 40 officers, it holds four of them responsible for the

riots, namely the then Principal Secretary (Home) RM Srivastava, then Circle Officer of Jansanth in

Muzzafarnagar Jagat Ram Joshi, then Muzaffarnagar District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma and

then Muzaffarnagar SSP Subhash Chandra Dubey. However, it virtually gives a clean chit to three of

these four, including Srivastava while stating that he had transferred SSP Manzil Saini after rioting

first erupted. It is another matter that it proved to be a costly mistake as the riots spread rapidly while

the new SSP, Dubey, took time to become familiar with the lay of the land. The transfer of the top

district officials was also been perceived as a step to appease the Muslims, resulting in the spread of

violence, points out the commission. Dubey failed to prevent the escalation of riots, was suspended

and a departmental inquiry has been re-opened against him. However, there is no mention of the

political bosses responsible for the government order pronouncing a change of guard at such a crucial

juncture. Similarly, the commission nails a lone Inspector in the Local Intelligence Unit, Prabal Pratap

Singh, as prima facie being the main culprit for the widespread and most organised riots in the state in

recent memory. Departmental action is being initiated against him. His monumental fault was not

accurately assessing the large number of people expected to participate in the September 7, 2013

‘Bahu-Beti wa Hindu Bachao Mahapanchayat’ at Nagla Madod, where provocative speeches were

delivered, accelerating rioting. In the Action Taken Report, the state government declared that it has

sought an explanation from the then DM Kaushal Raj Sharma about the arrangements made to

maintain law and order during the mahapanchayat and if the provocative speeches were

videographed or recorded. And if not, why not? Thirty months after the ghastly communal violence, an

SIT probe and one-man judicial commission later, the state government is still in the dark if the

speeches were recorded. Several of these fiery speakers are now honourable members of the Lok

Sabha. The most glaring case is perhaps of the BJP MLA from Sardhana in Meerut. The commission

report states how on August 27, 2013, “one Shiv Kumar flashed a video on YouTube of an incident

(which had no connection with the murders of Sachin and Gaurav) showing it as their murders. On

August 29, at 6.21 pm, BJP MLA Sangeet Som shared the video on his Facebook account, which

read, Bhai Sab Dekho kya hua Kawal gaon me. On account of this video clip, communal tension on a

large scale erupted between the Hindus and Muslims, and at several places incidents of communal

violence took place”. Strangely, the commission report does not recommend pressing more charges

against Som. It states that a case against Som and 229 others had been registered at Kotwali

Muzzafarnagar. Invoking Article 20 (2) of the Constitution, it asserts that “no person shall be

prosecuted and punished for the same offence more than once”. “Hence, no other penal action should

be taken against Som and the other political accused”. (The Tribune 14/3/16)

32. J&K govt wants arrest of all accused in ‘2013 Eid violence’ (7)

Jammu: 2013 communal clashes, communal clashes, kishtwar communal clashes, PM Modi, jitendra

singh, riot murder, communla riot murder, india news, nation news Singh (centre) with Kasooru

(extreme right) at his houseThe Jammu Kashmir government on Monday sought details of people and

the status of cases registered against them in connection with incidents of killings, arson and looting

during Eid clashes in Kishtwar district in 2013. Sources said that Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner

Ghulam Nabi Balwan held a meeting with Senior Superintendent of Police Sandeep Wazir to discuss

the matter. He asked for apprehension of all the accused wanted by police in connection with killings

during 2013 communal violence and who have been declared absconders by the court. This followed

publication of a story in The Indian Express issue date March 14, 2016 “Wanted for riot murder, J&K

BJP leader surfaces at MoS, PMO, house“. Identified as Hari Krishan alias Kasooru of Paddar, the

BJP leader had been delcared absconder by Munsiff Kishtwar on November 2, 2013 after police could

not arrest him in connnection with the killing of one Lassa Khandey during communal violence in the

district. Kasooru along with some senior BJP leaders from the state including three sitting MLAs

appeared not only made an appreance at the Delhi residence of Minister of State in the PMO Dr

Jitendra Singh, but also posed for a photograph with him on Friday. Others seen rubbing shoulders

with him in the photograph included Sunil Sharma, Dileep Parihar and Shakti Parihar, all sitting MLAs

from Kishtwar, Bhaderwah and Doda respectively, besides Showkat Daing and Tariq Keen. While

Sunil had been minister of state for Revenue and Roads & Buildings in previous Mufti Sayeed led

coalition government, Daing and Keen had contested the 2014 assembly elections as BJP candidates

in Banihal and Inderwal respectively, but lost. “The law will take its course,” said Kishtwar Senior

Superintendent of Police, Sandeep Wazir, who assumed office in the hilly district only four months

ago. “I have sought details about the status of cases and also the details of people involved from the

investigating officer and also the Senior Public Prosecutor,” he said. Three people were killed and 80

others injured, while property worth crores was razed to ashes during communal violence on Eid in

Kishtwar during 2013. Then then Minister of State for Home Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo, who also

happened to be local MLA from the district, resigned from office to pave way for a judicial enquiry into

the matter. The then Omar Abdullah government appointed Justice R C Gandhi, a retired High Court

judge, as one man inquiry commission who in his report indicted Kitchloo along with some civil and

police officers in the matter. While nearly half a dozen people have been arrested in connection with

the killings, a large number of people have been declared absconders by the court, he said. Though

police parties have been regularly visiting their native places from time to time, they appear to have

moved out of the district, SSP said, adding that they will be forming teams to conduct raids at their

suspected hideouts elsewhere the state and outside for their apprehension as per warrants issued by

the court. (Indian Express 15/3/16)

33. Stone pelting between communities after ‘eve teasing’ in M’nagar (7)

Meerut: Barely four days after inspector-general of police Navneet Sikera asked Muzaffarnagar police

to take strict action against eve teasers and provide all possible aid to victims, police did everything to

the contrary, picking up a girl who was allegedly molested and bring her to the police station instead

of arresting the accused. Annoyed at alleged police inaction, people gathered at the police station,

while stone pelting was also reported between two communities at Naya Bans area of Muzaffarnagar

city. It may be mentioned that an incident of alleged eve teasing had snowballed into the deadly

communal riots of 2013 in Muzaffarnagar, which had claimed 61 lives. Locals who had come out in

support of the victim alleged that shortly after the incident, the police, instead of arresting the alleged

culprits, took the girl to the police station. Soon afterwards, a large number of locals also gathered at

the police station and began protesting against the alleged inaction of the police. "Our girl was

molested and yet it was she who was taken to the police station, while no action was taken against

the accused, who still remain at large," one of the agitators alleged. Meanwhile, seeing the rising

anger of the crowd, women constables brought the girl out of the station from the rear. Meanwhile,

both communities started pelting stones at each other at Naya Baans locality. There were also

unconfirmed reports of gunfire. Superintendent of police (city) Santosh Mishra rushed to the spot

immediately along with Kotwali police officials, under whose jurisdiction the area falls. Seeing the

situation going out of control, Mishra immediately informed senior officials, following which SSP KB

Singh, chief development officer (CDO) Avnish Sharma and additional district magistrate (ADM)

Manoj Kumar arrived at the spot and tried to reason with the aggrieved crowd. BJP MLA Kapil Dev

Agarwal also reached the spot and asked officers to arrest the accused without delay. SSP KB Singh

said that the situation was now under control. "People of both sides have been pacified after being

made to understand the gravity of the matter. Taking precautionary measures, adequate police force

has been deployed in the area," he added. Singh said that police were investigating the matter and

the accused would be arrested very soon as raids were on at every possible location where they

might be found. "We will take strict action against the accused and none will be spared at any cost,"

he said. (Times of India 17/3/16)

34. Tension at Bhainsa (7)

ADILABAD: An alert police on Saturday averted what could have been a communal incident at the

communally sensitive town of Bhainsa in Adilabad district. A visit to the town by Hyderabad Member

of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi sparked off a protest by activists of the Hindu Vahini who pelted

stones at the convoy of the MP, though they missed the vehicles. According to information reaching

here, Mr. Owaisi arrived in Bhainsa to inaugurate a jewellery shop of a party worker. The Hindu Vahini

activists took out a rally protesting the MP’s stand on ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ slogan. About 100 activists

took out a rally from Narsimha temple to the Tahsildar office to submit a memorandum. The timing

coincided with the arrival of the MP in a cavalcade of cars. The alert police confined the protesters to

the Tahsildar’s office. However, the latter managed to pelt stones at the vehicles but missed them. As

tension grew in town, the market closed impromptu and soon police pickets were also set up. The

presence of police, contingents of which had been roped in from Nizamabad, Adilabad and Nirmal

towns prevented any untoward incident. Meanwhile, the police provided escort to Mr. Owaisi who

inaugurated the shop half-an-hour before the scheduled time and left for Hyderabad. (The Hindu

20/3/16)

35. Communal clash in Akota, four arrested (7)

Vadodara: Tension prevailed in Akota after clash between groups of two different communities over a

petty issue late on Sunday night. Four person were arrested on Monday for rioting and damaging

property. The mobs had pelted stones at eachother after ruckus over alleged harassment of a girl.

The cops lobbed two teargas shells to disperse the rioters. Those arrested include Rohit Kahaar (20),

Dhaka Sonwane (24), Hemant Gaekwad (20) and Vijay Shardul (20). While Rohit and Dhaka are

residents of Warisya and Akota, both Hemant and Vijay are residents of Maharaja Nagar. The Gotri

police registered an offence of rioting against 15 persons from both the communities including the four

arrested. According to the police, trouble began when Shashikant Sonar a resident of Maharaja Nagar

locality was attacked by Irfan Khan Pathan and two others after he allegedly harassed a girl at around

11.45 pm. "Sonar was sitting on the bridge when Pathan and two others and a girl were walking by.

When Sonar looked at the girl, Pathan got furious and attacked him along with two others. Pathan,

who was wearing a knuckle duster, punched Sonar in his private parts," said Gotri police inspector M

D Puwar. A group from Sonar's locality in Maharaja Nagar under the Akota-Dandia Bazaar bridge

rushed to the spot and clashed with those who attacked him. While a part of the group clashed on the

bridge, another groups clashed under the bridge. "There were nearly 100 persons from both the

groups. The four accused arrested will be produced before a local court for remand," said another

official from the Gotri police. "The situation was brought under control by the police in about half an

hour," said DCP north Leena Patil. While the police maintains that an episode of eve-teasing triggered

the clashes between the communities, sources said that the youth got into fight over a brawl on

Saturday night during the Indian-Pakistan T20 cricket (Times of India 22/3/16

36. Vikaspuri murder: Kejriwal accuses BJP and RSS of trying to ‘communalise’ incident (7)

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Saturday accused the BJP and the RSS of giving a

communal colour to the murder of Pankaj Narang, a dentist in Vikaspuri who was beaten to death by

a mob Wednesday. “Utterly shameful n disgusting dat BJP/RSS tryng 2 communlise unfortunate

murder of Dr Narang. Ppl want peace, not hatrd (sic),” Kejriwal tweeted. He also retweeted a Twitter

post by Dilip Pandey, in which the AAP leader said he had returned from the condolence meeting held

for Narang. “Parivar BJP/RSS/VHP ke gundon se pareshaan hai jinhone parivar ko pichle 36 ghante

se gher rakha hai (The family is harrowed by BJP/RSS/VHP goons who have surrounded them for the

last 36 hours),” said Pandey. In a statement, Kejriwal’s party also slammed the “desperate attempt” to

find a communal angle in the incident. “The AAP strongly condemns the attempts by the BJP and the

affiliates of the Sangh Parivar to communalise this entire incident. The individuals associated with

fringe right-wing organisations, that had earlier also tried to create trouble in the heart of Delhi, are

making desperate attempts to give a communal colour to this criminal act,” the party said. BJP’s Delhi

unit president Satish Upadhyay said the party had nothing to do with messages that had alleged a

communal angle behind the murder. “I am not sure what kind of people are circulating it (messages)

on social media. I have not got any such message. It was a tragic incident. A few anti-social elements

from the JJ colony committed the crime. We agree a few of them are Muslims but we never gave it a

communal colour,” said Upadhyay. AAP also attacked the Delhi Police, saying the “systematic

politicisation of the Delhi Police by the Modi government has turned it into an ineffective force.” “It has

been reported that the deceased doctor tried to call up the police control room van following his

reported argument with two men on a motorcycle. The entire sequence which led to the gruesome

incident clearly highlights lack of proper police patrolling, particularly at night. Increasing stress levels,

coupled with lack of local level interactions and complete failure of the police to perform its basic

duties led to this gruesome incident,” the party said. However, AAP lauded Additional Deputy

Commissioner (west) Monika Bharadwaj for “coming forward in an upright manner to quell all rumours

which could have created communal tension in the area.” The party demanded that those “spreading

rumors to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere through the use of social media platforms and word of

mouth” should be immediately booked for trying to create communal tension. Meanwhile, Congress

spokesperson Sharmistha Mukherjee also condemned the incident. “Under no considerations can

such a murder be condoned,” she said. She also said incidents of crimes by youth were rising and it

was up to the government to find a way to channelise their energy in a positive direction. (Indian

Express 27/3/16)

37. 2002 Guj riots and 1984 Sikh riots are different: Kanhaiya (7)

New Delhi, Mar 28 () JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar today compared the alleged onslaught on

varsities with Gujarat riots alleging both of them were carried out "with support" from state machinery

even as he stressed that there is a fundamental difference between "emergency" and

"fascism".Asserting that there is a difference between 2002 riots and 1984 Sikh massacre Kanhaiya

alleged that Gujarat violence was carried out through state machinery while the other was caused due

to mob frenzy. "There is difference between emergency and fascism. During emergency, goons of

only one party were engaged into goondaism, in this (fascism) entire state machinery is resorting to

goondaism. There is difference between riots of 2002 and 1984 Sikh riots. "There is a fundamental

difference between a mob killing a common man and massacring people through state machinery.

Therefore, the threat of communal fascism we are faced with today, there is an attack being launched

on universities, because like Hitler, Modi ji doesn't have support from intellectuals in India. No

intellectual is defending Modi regime," he added. Noting the present time is an era of "Islamophobia" ,

Kanhaiya underscored a need for understanding history first before reaching a conclusion on any

issue. "Today it's an era of Islamophobia. Leave aside the words of terrorism and terrorist. The

moment these words will come to your mind, imprints of face of a Muslim person will be there in your

mind. This is Islamophobia. "Connotations, meaning of a word change. Hence, it is important for us to

understand history before we reach to conclusion on anything," he said. Kanhaiya was addressing the

gathering during a panel discussion on "Voices of Azaadi" during the "Jashne-e-azaadi" festival which

was organised to celebrate the birth anniversary of the late historian Professor Bipan Chandra. The

celebration comes at a time when JNU students have kick started a "nationalism and azaadi debate"

across the country after it came under attack for an event on campus against the hanging of

Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised. (Times

of India 28/3/16)

38. BJP using caste, religion to create division in varsities: Medha Patkar (7)

Hyderabad: Activist Medha Patkar on Sunday alleged that the BJP government is using caste and

communal factors to create division within universities by sending ‘pariwarik’ organisations like ABVP.

Voicing concern over the ongoing unrest in universities, she termed it a serious situation for the

country. “ABVP always had some space but they cannot dare try and occupy whole of the students’

movement space which is not going to happen because there are radically-thinking and ideologically-

committed students who want true freedom, true development and a truly equitable and sustainable

society in this country,” she told reporters. The activist was denied entry into University of Hyderabad

where she wanted to address agitating students to express her solidarity. She termed as childish the

ban on entry of activists, media and others in the university, lathi charge on students, closure of

canteen and other measures taken by the university administration. Demanding immediate removal of

P Appa Rao, she said bringing him back as the vice-chancellor was the worst move by the

government. (Hindustan Times 4/4/16)

39. 30 acquitted in post-Godhra riot cases (7)

AHMEDABAD: In two cases related to the post Godhra riots in Gujarat, 30 persons accused of looting

and arson were acquitted by a trial court in Banaskantha district on Monday. The court freed the

accused on the ground of ‘lack of evidence’. According to reports, 20 shops and three dozen houses

were burnt down in Thara village of Banaskantha on February 28, 2002 during a Gujarat bandh call

given by the VHP and other outfits in two separate incidents. Following the incidents, two cases were

registered against unknown persons but the police named 33 accused after the Gujarat High Court

ordered a reinvestigation into the cases. During the trial that lasted almost a decade, three accused

died while the remaining were out on bail and were acquitted by sessions judge NM Parmar, who held

that ‘there was not enough evidence against the accused’. After the Godhra train torching incident in

which 59 Hindu activists were charred to death near Godhra railway station, large-scale violence had

broken out in the State in which more than 1,000 persons were massacred. (The Hindu 5/4/16)

40. Palwal violence: Punjab and Haryana HC seeks Haryana’s reply on constitution of SIT (7)

Chandigarh : The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday directed the Haryana government’s

counsel to take instructions on whether a Special Investigating Team (SIT) headed by Haryana Police

Academy Director KK Sindhu could be constituted to probe the alleged incident of communal violence

in Tikri Brahman village of Palwal district which broke out on July 5 last year . The directions came

after petitioners’ counsel proposed Sindhu’s name to investigate the case. However, the state

government’s counsel has submitted that the probe could be handed over to the state crime branch

which is a separate wing, to which the petitioners’ counsel raised an objection. The court was hearing

a petition filed by five Muslim villagers seeking CBI probe into the incident and deployment of central

security forces to defuse tension between the Hindus and Muslims in the village. The petitioners have

alleged that the state police were carrying out “biased and partisan investigation” with the sole motive

of “shielding the real culprits.” The court has been informed that the case details make it clear that

none of the 17 houses which were set ablaze belong to the majority community. However, the

Haryana Police had taken a stand that no communal clash ever took place in the village. And that

some miscreants engineered the unfortunate incident and projected it as a communal clash for their

personal benefits. The police had informed the court that on the day of incident, 17 persons from both

the sides were arrested and as many as 51 FIRs were registered . The case would now come up for

hearing on April 22. (Indian Express 8/4/16)

41. Moral policemen now run riot in Mangaluru malls (7)

MANGALURU: Repeated incidents of moral policing in public places are sending out the signal that

malls are not safe anymore. Last week, a boy from a minority community was allegedly thrashed after

he was seen with a girl from another community in a plush mall here.Five persons belonging to a

right-wing outfit, majority of them mall employees, were involved in the incident. They approached the

couple sitting in the mall and asked them questions, mainly regarding their religion. As soon as the

employees learnt that the duo were from different religions, they forced the girl to leave the mall and

took the boy behind the mall and assaulted him. Last September, police arrested one person from a

minority community who allegedly harassed a group of stu dents outside a mall near KS Rao Road.

"Many such incidents are happening in malls, but go unreported as couples are afraid of filng

complaints.We have brought this to the notice of the city's top cop," says Vidya Dinker, social activist

and founder of Citizen Forum for Mangalore Development. Recently , forum members met police chief

M Chandra Sekhar and submitted a memorandum to curb such goondaism in malls. "Whenever there

is moral policing, mall managements wash their hands off the incident, claiming that persons involved

in it are employed by private contractors. Mall management should be held responsible," the forum

said. In three malls on K S Rao Road, Pandeshwar and in Attavar, security services are managed by

leader of a Hindu chauvinist group. "I'm aware that communal forces are operating in the malls,"

Chandra Sekhar said. (Times of India 10/4/16)

42. Gamblers unleash violence on raiding cops, hurt two (7)

Nagpur: Two constables of Jaripatka police station were injured when gamblers went berserk seeing

cops approaching their den at Kamgar Nagar shortly before midnight on Sunday. One of the

constables, Bajrang Paudwal, received 12 stitches on his head after being hit by a stray stone hurled

by the gamblers. The cops were out searching for criminals as a part of police's citywide 'all out patrol

system' that requires all the staff of police station to be out on anti-crime duty. The unarmed cops, on

a mission to nab criminals, opted to raid the place upon spotting the gamblers. Unprepared for the

action though, the cops made a miraculous escape leaving their bikes at the spot after the gamblers

turned violent attacking the raiding team with stones, brick and sticks apart from raining blows and

hurling abuses. Paudwal was left profusely bleeding after being hit by a stray stone hurled by the

gamblers in the melee. In-charge of the detection branch squad, police naik Deepak Rithe, also the

complainant in the case, too was injured after being hit on the face. The cops were discharged from a

private hospital where they got preliminary treatment. Rithe's squad, comprising Paudwal and five

others, was heading towards Kapil Nagar via Kamgar Nagar when they spotted some people

assembled in a huddle behind a pan kiosk owned by Sheru Sagir Ahmad who too is one of the

accused in the case. Sheru's elder brother Shakeel and his more than half a dozen friends, including

Naushad Chini, were involved in attacking the cops. Shakeel has around 11 offences, including

murder in 2011, against him. Sheru too has four offences in his crime record. Rithe, in his complaint,

stated the cops were advancing towards the spot seeing gamblers assembled in a huddle. The

gamblers immediately switched off the light sensing trouble. The unexpected harrowing experience

for the cops was yet to come. While most gamblers sneaked away from the place, Shakeel, Sheru

and Chini decided to attack the cops to thwart the raid. Apart from hurling abuses, Shakeel and other

started pelting stones on advancing cops. Sheru also got himself injured with a brick with an intention

to implicate the cops. Jaripatka police station's PSI RK Thakur's squad later picked up Sheru, his

brothers Imran and Sameer along with another identified as Sheikh Ramzan Shaikh Khwaja. An

offence has been registered at Jaripatka police station against the culprits charging them with assault,

rioting, threatening, and obstructing government official among others. Sources from north Nagpur

said Shakeel and his brothers had been operating the gambling den at Kamgar Nagar since long in

collusion with a section of cops from Jaripatka police station. There has been no substantial action on

the den in the past, it is learnt. (Times of India 12/4/16)

43. Sachar attacks CM over Muzaffarnagar riots (7)

Lucknow: Former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court and national president of Socialist Party (India)

Rajindar Sachar attacked the chief minister Akhilesh Yadav over the Muzaffarnagar riots. Justice

Sachar, who is also the patron of Peoples union of civil liberties (PUCL), said it is unfortunate that

suspicion was raised in the judicial probe report given by Justice (retd) Vishnu Sahai. He alleged that

the probe report is a cruel joke on the human tragedy where 70 persons were killed. ``All the political

leaders were given clean chit and an inspector of the intelligence was held responsible for the worst

ever riots in Muzaffarnagar’’ said Justice (retd) Sacchar. “PUCL went for a probe in the Muzaffarnagar

riots which was headed by journalist Kuldeep Nair but it was surprising that when I wanted to meet

the CM to make him aware about the findings, chief minister refused to meet me," he said. Socialist

Party (India) also announced first list of 15 candidates for UP Assembly polls next year, giving nine

seats to women and promising to project a woman as the chief ministerial candidate. The SP (I) plans

to contest most of the 403 seats in UP polls and would give 60 per cent of the candidature to women

nominees, said party's national president Justice (Retd) Rajinder Sachar. Earlier, after a meeting

with Justice Sachar, UP PUCL general secretary Vandana Mishra too, expressed support for the

ideology of the Socialist Party (India). Party's national vice-president and in-charge of UP, Sandeep

Pandey said the party has already released a 33-point poll manifesto, will go for full prohibition in the

state, if voted to power. Sandeep Pandey, a Magsaysay award winner for social work, said that the

manifesto of the party promises to end red and blue beacon lights, corruption in government

departments and to stop foreign investments. The manifesto also bats for common education system,

reservation for women in all the sectors and banning use of loudspeakers at the religious places.

The manifesto also promises to implement the Sachar Commission report and providing free

education and health care for all. (The Pioneer 14/4/16)

44. Curfew imposed on H’bag after mob clash, violence (7)

Ranchi/Hazaribag/Bokaro: Ranchi/Hazaribag/Bokaro: Curfew was imposed in Hazaribag after fresh

violence was reported in the town and its surrounding areas on Sunday when two groups of people

clashed, torched shops and pelted policemen with stones injuring several of them on the last day of

the Ramnavami festival, deputy commissioner Mukesh Kumar said. The trouble started when

objectionable recorded slogans were played in a Ramnavami procession triggering clash between the

two groups of people in Khirgaon near Hazaribag railway station, Kumar said. The stone pelting

invited strong retaliation from people in the procession and the situation stonewalled into a violent

clash leaving three policemen and some locals injured. "The injured cops were taken to a hospital.

Around 20 roadside shops were also set ablaze," SP Akhilesh Kumar Jha said. Incidents of clash and

arson were also reported in other parts of the town Boddom Bazar Gowaltoli, Panch Mandir Chowk

and Kud locality the DC said, adding that 20 shops belonging to both groups were torched. As the

situation spinned out of control, CRPF, RAF, Jharkand Armed Police (JAP) and several local police

forces were rushed to the spot to restore peace. Vehicles of the district administration moved around

the town asking people to remain indoors. DIG (Hazaribag) Upendra Kumar along with the top district

officials patrolled the affected areas to instill confidence in people. "The exact number of people

injured in the incident is still not known," a police officer said. Fear stalked commuters passing by

National Highway 33, which connects the capitals of Jharkhand and Bihar, and passes through

Hazaribag town. "The paramilitary forces are monitoring the vehicular traffic on the highway. The

vehicles are being given protection. The situation is completely under control," SP Jha said, adding

police are conducting raids to nab the miscreants. Meanwhile, the Bokaro district administration on

Sunday lifted the curfew that was clamped in areas under four police stations since Friday night

following violence during a Ramnavmi procession at Siwandih village under Maraphari police station

here. … (Times of India 17/4/16)

45. J&K: Fresh protests in Handwara as restrictions lifted briefly (7)

Srinagar: Fresh protests broke out on Monday in Handwara and neighbouring areas of Kupwara

district in north Kashmir, prompting authorities to reimpose curfew-like restrictions which were relaxed

for a few hours in the morning, while mobile internet services have been restored in the Valley.

Authorities lifted the restrictions on movement of people for three hours in Kupwara town in the district

and the relaxation was further extended as there was no report of any untoward incident there, a

police official said. The twin towns of Handwara and Kupwara had been rocked by violent protests

that left five persons dead since last Tuesday. After a lull Sunday, fresh protests broke out today in

Handwara, Kralgund and Trehgam areas. “Restrictions have been imposed again in Handwara,

Kralgund and Trehgam areas of Kupwara district following violent protests,” a police official said.

Around 150 youths started pelting stones in Handwara town as authorities relaxed the restrictions for

three hours from 8.00 AM to 11. 00 AM, the official said. Mobile internet services, which were

snapped in the Valley following violent protests over the alleged molestation of a girl by an army

soldier on Tuesday, were restored a little past midnight as there was no major incident of protest or

violence yesterday, an official said today. Three persons including a woman were killed in firing by

security forces on protesters on Tuesday while two more persons were killed in separate security

forces action against violent protestors on Wednesday at Drugmulla and on Friday at Nathnusa.

(Indian Express 18/4/16)

46. Greater Noida tense over cow slaughter (7)

NOIDA: Jewar (Greater Noida) Tension erupted in Jewar area on late night on Friday after the

carcass of a cow were noticed in the area. The dogs were eating the carcass when the locals noticed

it. Following the incident, locals protested seeking immediate arrest of the cow slaughterers. The

protestors jammed the road for about four hours.Half a dozen policemen reached the scene. After

taking samples, an FIR was lodged into the matter. According to sources, locals noticed the carcass

of the cow after offering prayers at the Badbaba temple at around 8 pm. The locals near Kanigadhi

village noticed the dogs eating the carcass. This ignited protests. The news spread in and around the

villages within minutes. Hundred of locals gathered and raised anti-police and anti-administration

slogans. The police and administration reacted late and protests went out of control. When the

situation aggravated, nearby police stations were also alerted. The protesters demanded arrest of the

culprits and autopsy of the cow. The enraged locals did not allow the force to take the carcass in their

possession. Hours later, sub devisional magistrate Suresh Mishra and deputy superintendent of

police Dilip Singh reached the scene along with government the veterinary doctors' team. After

picking up the samples, the carcass was buried. Based on the complaint of the cow's owner Vishnu

Sharma, an FIR of cow theft and slaughter was lodged with the Jewar police station. According to

senior police officers, following the FIR, a manhunt has been launched to nab the culprits. TOI on

March 17 had exclusively reported that tension had erupted in Tugalpur village in Greater Noida over

the preparing and serving of pork. The owner of a property had thrashed his Dalit tenant for allegedly

preparing pork. This incident was reminiscent of the killing of Akhlaq in Bisada village of Greater

Noida - Akhlaq was lynched for allegedly eating and storing beef last year. (Times of India 20/4/16)

47. HC pardons govt's 674-day delay in Godhra case appeal (7)

Ahmedabad: The state government failed to file an appeal in the Gujarat high court for nearly two

years, against an accused in the Godhra train burning case who was acquitted in this very serious

case. The case pertains to Ismail Chhunga, who was wanted in the Godhra carnage case, in which 59

passengers including karsevaks returning from Ayodhya were charred to death on February 27, 2002.

He was arrested on March 3, 2011, after absconding for nine years. A special SIT court acquitted him

of conspiracy, murder and rioting charges on November 30, 2013. The state government had 90 days

to challenge the acquittal before the HC, but it could file the appeal only on January 5, 2016 - some

674 days after the limitation period ended. The reason for the delay was that opinions from the

advocate general and law minister were obtained in this case. The state government urged the HC to

pardon the delay on the grounds that this is a very serious offence and the magnitude and gravity

demands a fair opportunity to present the case on merit. It would be in the public interest if the court

pardoned the delay. On the other hand, the defence lawyer argued that the basic necessity in this

case was not fulfilled and there was no opinion from the special public prosecutor. Instead, the file

was sent to the advocate general and the law minister, which is not appreciable. It was also argued

that an expert opinion is required for filing of an appeal against the trial court's order. At most, it is the

law secretary who takes a decision on such issues after approval from the minister. After hearing the

arguments, the high court pardoned the delay last week on the grounds that the state government

should be given another opportunity to present its case on merit in the public interest, looking at the

seriousness, magnitude and gravity of the offence. The HC admitted the state's appeal. (Times of

India 21/4/16)

48. Jharkhand seeks NIA help to probe Hazaribag communal violence (7)

RANCHI: Jharkhand police have sought the help of National Investigation Agency (NIA) to trace the

origin and movement of possibly lethal explosives found in Hazaribag during recent communal riots in

which two persons were killed, dozens injured and many shops set on fire. A NIA team with explosive

experts is likely to visit Habibinagar in Hazaribag, ADG operations and police spokesperson S N

Pradhan said, where the explosives were found. On Thursday former external affairs minister

Yashwant Sinha's (who lives in Hazaribag) remarks that cross border terrorists were possibly behind

Hazaribag's communal violence highlighted the magnitude of the situation. Police have recovered

altogether 15 petrol bombs containing possibly lethal explosives hidden in a house at Habibi Nagar

during clashes. The recovered bombs carried complex mechanism and appeared strange to state

investigation agencies when they compared the bombs with bombs and IEDs (improvised explosive

devices) usually recovered from different parts of the state from criminals, Maoists or IM operatives.

"Various explosives (including potassium) were used in the petrol bombs. The exact names and

nature of the explosives are not known now. It is also not known what explosive mechanism the

bombs employed and the explosive intensity they carried. NIA will be able to investigate and establish

these characters," Pradhan said. Since the recovery of the bombs, Jharkhand's fledgling Anti-Terror

Squad is camping in Hazaribag where it is examining the bombs trail and interrogating people

allegedly behind the storage and assembly of the bombs. The 15 petrol bombs were exposed when a

one of the bombs exploded while being assembled by a group of seven persons. In the explosions

two died and one was injured. The police are conducting raids to nab four others. Unconfirmed

reports say that the other four persons involved in bomb making were also killed in the explosions and

locals secretly buried the bodies to evade police. Hazaribag DIG Upendra Kumar told TOI the district

police are trying to verify information (of four more deaths in explosion and subsequent burial) and

would also go ahead to exhume the bodies if the burial of the criminals is confirmed. The police have

lodged 10 FIRs against around 170 accused and arrested several of them. A curfew was imposed on

Sunday in Hazaribag town. The curfew continued till Friday with relaxation intervals. "Nine hours of

relaxation was given in the curfew on Friday," DIG Kumar said. (Times of India 22/4/16)

49. Week after violence in Hazaribagh, five bodies exhumed (7)

Ranchi: A week after violence followed stone-pelting on a Ram Navami procession in Hazaribagh

town of Jharkhand on April 17, the administration lifted curfew on Sunday morning. On Monday,

Hazaribagh police exhumed five bodies, apparently buried in a hurry, following their death in an

explosion while allegedly making crude bombs. The explosion had occurred within hours of the

communal violence in the town — at a house owned by one Mumtaj in Habibi Nagar area, about a

kilometre from where the violence had begun. In all, six people had died and two were injured,

according to the police. With the Hazaribagh district hospital not equipped with infrastructure for

forensic examination, the decomposed bodies were brought to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences

(RIMS) in Ranchi. Four bodies were buried in Khirgaon graveyard — apparently in the dead of night,

as the burials were not entered in official records — and a fifth buried in the forests of Dhengura,

about 1.5 km from Habibi Nagar. The police, however, learnt about the deaths only when one of the

two injured persons — identified as Ifteshar — reached a local hospital. He was later shifted to RIMS.

The police raided the site at night and found some crude bombs, but there was no trace of the victims.

Two days later, they recovered one of the six bodies from a septic tank in the area. “Relatives of

those who had died were traced and they were asked for formal permission to exhume the bodies,”

Hazaribagh Superintendent of Police (SP) Akhilesh Jha said. “We then approached the court, which

permitted us to exhume the bodies.” The four bodies exhumed from Khirgaon graveyard were

identified as that of Shah Nawaz, Muzaffar, Mintu and Sonu. The body exhumed from Dhengura was

identified as that of Mujahid. “The deceased were all residents of Habibi Nagar,” Jha said. The SP

said that the owner, Mumtaj, has two houses. “He lived in one and let acquaintances use the other

when they came to Hazaribagh. In this case also, Mumtaj knew the deceased (persons).” The police,

he said, are investigating why they were assembling bombs. (Indian Express 26/4/16)