One tragic incident took place at Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh. Clash erupted in front of a mosque while the procession of Maa Durga idol immersion was proceeding. This resulted in the killing of one and injuring some other.
Police quickly halted the clashes between Hindus and Muslims soon after it erupted and additional police forces have been deployed to many locations, which temporarily stopped the visarjan ceremonies.
Recordings of the video were taken from those places where violence had taken place to identify the culprits. In the case of Maharajganj, where one person was shot dead, thirty people have been arrested so far. After the violence, an FIR was filed, and the main accused were actively pursued by the police.
Hindus claimed that lathi charge had killed Ram Gopal Mishra, but that was contrary to the claim made by the police who said Mishra had been shot in the back while the police were dispersing the mob.
Eyewitnesses claimed that stone pelting had started from Abdul Hameed’s house during the procession of Maa Durga idol immersion. Hindus demanded the arrest of the stone pelters, but the police used lathi charges on them.
Clash reportedly started when some Muslims felt offended by the DJ music that was played during the Devi Durga Visarjan procession. A 22-year-old Hindu man, Ram Gopal Mishra was shot dead in the violence.
Vrinda Shukla, the superintendent of police, confirmed that the violence began after an argument between the two communities during the Durga Visarjan procession in Rehua Mansoor village, Bahraich.
Maa Durga idol immersion procession attacked: Eyewitnesses narrate the story
Eyewitnesses say Abdul Hameed’s family first dragged Mishra into their house and then shot him. The whole incident took place within the Hardi police station jurisdiction, which is blamed for this tragedy.
Mishra’s family said they were being denied any justice as the police failed to make an arrest in a case which, though only in its filing stage, had already witnessed violence. Mishra was to get married in four months.
Violence erupted when the Visarjan procession passed by a mosque in Maharajganj. Muslims arrived close to the mosque and requested that the DJ music be stopped. They provoked through this.
There was complete mayhem as stones began to be thrown at the procession of Maa Durga idol immersion and the deities. Hindus requested police to arrest the culprits. But at each such request, people from the Muslim community continued to add to the gathering.
Amid the chaos, someone from Abdul Hameed’s house reportedly fired at the procession. Mishra was shot at close quarters and died later from his injuries at a medical college.
Another person, Saroj Tiwari, was hospitalized after injury from stone pelting. The death of the youth left a roadblock as outraged family members placed his body outside the medical college.
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