Edited by: Aditya Menon
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Communal tensions have persisted in Nainital, Uttarakhand after several Muslims were beaten up, shops belonging to them were vandalised on the night of 30 April. The violence came in the wake of a local Muslim being arrested in a sexual assault case of a minor girl.
Two weeks since the Pahalgam terror attack, several communal incidents have been reported across the country. Although what transpired in Nainital is rooted in a sexual assault case, it has acted as catalyst to more communal unrest with right-wing groups alleging 'atrocities against Hindus.'
In a video accessed by The Quint, around 30-40 locals vandalised shops belonging to Muslims in Bara Bazaar, Gadi Padav area, while also brutally thrashing Muslim shopkeepers. Several of them sustained injuries.
"The angry mob toppled the vehicles parked in the Gadi Padav market. The goods kept in front of the shops were also thrown here and there. Bricks and stones were also thrown at many houses. During this, the glass panes of many houses were broken. The police remained on the front throughout the night," reads the police's press release.
The local police has now filed an FIR in the case against 25-30 unidentified persons.
In one of the videos, two men were dragged out of Al-Raheem restaurant and beaten brutally. The men who were beaten up have reportedly left the city since the incident.
What has led to this fresh bout of communal violence in Nainital? Who are the players adding fuel to the fire? The Quint takes a closer look.
They Shouted 'Kaat Do Mullo Ko': Shopkeeper
Ahmed Ansari, who was beaten in the video mentioned above, stated that he was beaten when he opposed the damage meted out to his shop.
Ansari told The Quint:
"Some of the men in the mob were local but others, I saw them for the first time. They were shouting, 'Kaat do Mullo ko' (cut the Muslims), 'beat them' and 'damage and close their shops.' They could have spoken to us, we would have closed the shops. But why target Muslim shops? If someone has committed a crime, he is a criminal and will be tested that way, he's not Hindu or Muslim then. Some of shopkeepers have also left the city now."
'Ab Tak Jiska Khoon Na Khaula...'
Taking suo motu cognisance of the tension prevailing in Nainital after the alleged rape case, the Uttarakhand High Court had directed the police to maintain law and order, prevent gathering of crowds and conduct checking of vehicles.
Prior to this, on the night of 30 April, many local Hindus taking to the streets and demanding action against Muslims. The groups 'gheraoed' SP Jagdish Chandra's office as well as the local Jama Masjid.
The crowd raised slogans like, "Ab tak jiska khoon na khaula, wo khoon nahi paani hain (If anyone's blood doesn't boil now, it isn't blood but water)" "Jai Sri Ram" and "Har Har Mahadev." Additionally, one of them shouted, "Hum Hinduon par atyachaar horha hain (Atrocities are being committed against Hindus)," and the crowd further got riled up.
More videos accessed by The Quint also showed locals kicking at the gates of the masjid.
Shockingly, we also received visuals of the crowd coming down at Sub-Inspector Asif Khan, harassing him for his religious identity. SI Khan tried walking away but the crowd pulled him back.
"We have now filed an FIR in the case of misbehavior with the police officer and are in the process of identifying those people from the video. Whether it's the people who attacked shops or those who attacked the police, we'll carry out strict investigation against them," said SSP Prahlad Meena.
Calling For Action Against Muslim-Owned Shops
As tensions intensified, more locals called for action. Not just against the accused in the case, but more so, against Muslim-owned business in particular.
A local BJP leader Manoj Joshi said, "The other community has made the environment like this. We have spoken to the authorities and tomorrow or day after, the accused's house will also be demolished because it is illegal. This kind of a situation will not be tolerated in Nainital."
Meanwhile, another Hindutva leader Vivek Varma not only expressed his outrage on the incident but also attached to it, the 'issue' of meat shops by Muslims.
It's important to note that several right-wing leaders in the district have also added ways to selectively target Muslim-owned businesses via using the sexual assault case.
"Since 3 months, the man had sexually assaulted the girl. Now the girl has filed the case. The locals here were already not pleased. On our way to the temples, they (Muslims) have their Biryani shops. During Navratri, we had our fasts and our mothers, sisters crossed those routes and their meat shops were all decorated. Women covered their faces and crossed. Hindu community is outraged and we want their shops closed," said Vivek Varma, Hindutva leader.
The next day, on 2 May in Haldwani, some local Hindus also 'put up a protest,' demanding action not just against the accused Muslim but also against Muslims 'using different names of shops.'
"This incident has united all of us. An elderly Muslim man sexually assaulted a young girl. Due to this, there is a lot of anger in the whole district, some of us were protesting but the police has picked up some people. Secondly, those who are 'Kattar,' why aren't they using their names on all the shops then? That is our demand and we have spoke to MLA and city magistrate about this too."Kartik Harbola BJYM Leader
Meanwhile, the City Magistrate stated that to ensure law and order is maintained, "and the case is not influenced, we are investigating the case."
Highlighting that this is the tourist season in Nainital, Anil Kapoor Dabbu, Mandi Samiti President, stated that efforts have been made by the authorities to curb any religious tensions so as to the tourist season is not further disturbed.
The Sexual Assault Case; Notice Sent to 'Bulldoze' Home
The accused in the alleged sexual assault and rape case, 73 years old Mohammad Usman has been arrested and sent to jail. Ever since the case came to light, followed by the communal unrest, PAC forces have also deployed in Nainital.
Usman is a contractor by profession. It is alleged that the minor girl is one of two sisters residing in Nainital. Reportedly, Usman sexually assaulted the younger of the two sisters.
Later on, the minor went to file a police complaint with her mother to Kotwali Mallital police station, but this news spread far and wide. An agitated mob of local Hindus then crowded the police station and even the hospital where the minor was sent for a medical test.
An FIR has been filed under BNS sections such as 65 (1) Punishment in rape cases and 351 (2) Criminal intimidation and section 3 and 4 of the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, police told The Quint.
SSP Prahlad Meena had earlier stated that, "Strict investigation is ongoing in the case so that such a shameful case does not happen in the future. I appeal to Nainital locals that they maintain harmony and brotherhood in this time and cooperate with the police. No such act should be carried out which maligns Nainital's image."
Subsequently, Usman's family was sent a notice by the Municipal Corporation ordering for the house to be demolished on account of being 'illegal.'
However, the Uttarakhand High Court ordered an interim stay on the notice. The court pulled up the Municipal Corporation as to how they got to know within a day that the house was 'illegal.' The Municipal Corporation also admitted that they violated Supreme Court's guidelines by giving them a three-day notice instead of at least 15 days, and hence, it was withdrawn.
Moreover, the Court also came down at the local police for failing to curb the violence that was unleashed on 30 April. The Court reprimanded the SSP over the fact that when the accused was already arrested, what was the need for the protest? It added that the absence of police presence worsened the situation.
'Why Attack Their Shops? Why Make it Communal'? Asks Local
While these tensions simmered to a boil in Nainital, Shaila Negi, daughter of Kishan Singh Negi, chairman of the local trade body confronted a local woman purportedly speaking against Muslim locals.
Her video went viral but she also faced backlash shortly after. In the video accessed by The Quint, she was heard saying:
"Why are you attacking their shops? What if they beat my Hindu brother tomorrow the same way? Why are you doing Hindu-Muslim? They are abusing all Muslims but not talking about the one who raped the girl? You're talking about Pakistanis, but this happened here? A cow was raped here in gaushala, did any Hindu community do anything?"
Shaila Negi confronts a woman in the main bazaar area, Nainital.
(Photo: Screenshot from the video)
Negi has alleged that since she spoke against the vilification of Muslims, she has received rape threats.
"You took to the streets to talk about a 12-year-old's safety, but on my video, I'm getting comments that I should be raped. That I should be thrown to Pakistan. Why? I'm a daughter of this country, you can't make me feel safe and some Hindus are telling me that I should be raped? How will you get the girl justice then? This is what their thinking is," she added.