In a shocking incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Mahoba, an Islamist mob disrupted a Hindu marriage and assaulted the gathering, including women and children. They also molested several girls.
Vijay Kumar, the father of the bride, had organised the marriage of his daughter Ashwini at Krishna Mandap on February 12, 2023. When they were returning home, in Mohalla Bhitarkot of Kotwali Mahoba police station area, for the vidaai (farewell of bride) in the early hours of February 13, a Muslim man named Mubarak Khan rammed his car on the bride’s car while she was getting down.
When the bride’s family objected, he started abusing and called other Muslim men. Mubarak’s associate Mohammed Safiya Chaudhary led an armed mob of over 3 dozen. The family also pleaded with them to let them complete the marriage peacefully.
Bride’s father, Vijay Kumar, who was returning in an auto who tried to stop them, was assaulted and dragged by the mob.
The mob barged into Vijay’s home and molested females. Valuables items are also reported to have been stolen.
The bride, Ashwini also pleaded with the mob to spare her father and till the time someone managed to call the police. As the attackers saw the police, they fled away.
“They gathered a mob within minutes, dragged the girl’s father and beat him right in front of his house. They entered the house and molested our girls,” said a family member.
“We all were busy with wedding-related work, suddenly, a Muslim mob came, must have been over 100, and started shouting ‘maro-maro’ (beat them). They thrashed my uncle and brother and when we tried to save them, they assaulted us too. They (the Islamist attackers) were not listening to anyone. They were armed with guns and lots of swords,” said the cousin and sister of the bride said.
“It was my daughter’s wedding. After finishing the wedding at Krishna Mandap, we were returning home with some items for the vidaai from home. I don’t know why a huge crowd had gathered at the chowk. Without any reason they started hitting me. Police came after 20-25 minutes, but the attackers had fled by then,” Vijay Kumar said.
It is to be noted that one of the attackers, Mohammad Safiya Chaudhary, lives in the same colony.
Mahoba SP Sudha Singh termed the incident as a ‘minor altercation’ involving only a verbal exchange and some pushing and shoving that was resolved by police.
According to reports, Sudha Singh said that action would be taken if any written complaint was lodged. Tellingly, she also asserted that their first and foremost priority was to maintain law & order and that had been done.
Reportedly, an FIR was lodged that same evening at 6.35 PM by Vijay Kumar.
The FIR has since been lodged under IPC 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 452 (house trespass for assault), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), along with several sections of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocity Act.
“After this incident of February 13, there is an atmosphere of terror in our house. Police is not investigating the matter properly. We are being threatened daily to sign a compromise/settlement agreement, else none will be spared. Our children are in fear. I have given a letter to the SP regarding the threats.”
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