BAREILLY: An angry mob took matters into its own hands at a village in UP and set on fire the house of a 21-year-old man for allegedly eloping with a woman, 20, of another community from the same neighbourhood.
When police arrived at the scene on Friday night, the mob vandalised their vehicle too.
The cops somehow managed to escape and informed their superiors, who sent additional forces from nearby police stations to bring the situation under control.SSP (Bareilly), Anurag Arya, said on Saturday, “The incident took place at Chandupura Shivnagar under Sirauli limits of Bareilly district. There was a complaint that a 20-year-old woman had eloped with her neighbour Mohd Saddam on July 29. Both were traced on Thursday night and the woman was handed over to her father on Friday. Saddam was detained for questioning. Later at night, a few anti-social elements vandalised some items at Saddam’s house and set a charpoy on fire. An FIR was registered against the perpetrators — 21 identified and 30 unknown — under the BNS section of rioting, and another FIR was registered against Saddam for abduction on the complaint of the woman’s father.”
Arya added: “SHO of Sirauli, Luv Sirohi, sub-inspector Satveer Singh and a constable were suspended for negligence. Over 100 police personnel are now deployed in the village to maintain law and order. Further investigations are on.”
An official, privy to the case details, said, “The village has around 10% minority population and the main occupation is farming. The Hindu woman and Saddam are school dropouts and fell in love over two years ago. On July 29, they fled together and the woman’s father filed a missing complaint. He, however, gave in writing that he didn’t want any action against Saddam. But, on Friday night, the situation turned violent. The mob broke the house door, vandalised items inside and set it on fire. Dial 112 team arrived and came under attack as well. Additional forces were thereafter called in.”
Locals at Chandupura Shivnagar said that “no one is in favour of violence” and appreciated the police presence. Village head, Pravesh Kumar, told TOI: “There was never any communal tension here and we always lived in peace. Situation turned ugly after the Muslim man eloped with the daughter of a farmer. Since people from the woman’s community are more in number; they targeted Saddam’s house.” The woman’s mother said, “Saddam and his aides often used to threaten my daughter. He took her away forcefully and villagers became angry and attacked their house. We just want them to stay away from our daughters.”
When police arrived at the scene on Friday night, the mob vandalised their vehicle too.
The cops somehow managed to escape and informed their superiors, who sent additional forces from nearby police stations to bring the situation under control.SSP (Bareilly), Anurag Arya, said on Saturday, “The incident took place at Chandupura Shivnagar under Sirauli limits of Bareilly district. There was a complaint that a 20-year-old woman had eloped with her neighbour Mohd Saddam on July 29. Both were traced on Thursday night and the woman was handed over to her father on Friday. Saddam was detained for questioning. Later at night, a few anti-social elements vandalised some items at Saddam’s house and set a charpoy on fire. An FIR was registered against the perpetrators — 21 identified and 30 unknown — under the BNS section of rioting, and another FIR was registered against Saddam for abduction on the complaint of the woman’s father.”
Arya added: “SHO of Sirauli, Luv Sirohi, sub-inspector Satveer Singh and a constable were suspended for negligence. Over 100 police personnel are now deployed in the village to maintain law and order. Further investigations are on.”
An official, privy to the case details, said, “The village has around 10% minority population and the main occupation is farming. The Hindu woman and Saddam are school dropouts and fell in love over two years ago. On July 29, they fled together and the woman’s father filed a missing complaint. He, however, gave in writing that he didn’t want any action against Saddam. But, on Friday night, the situation turned violent. The mob broke the house door, vandalised items inside and set it on fire. Dial 112 team arrived and came under attack as well. Additional forces were thereafter called in.”
Locals at Chandupura Shivnagar said that “no one is in favour of violence” and appreciated the police presence. Village head, Pravesh Kumar, told TOI: “There was never any communal tension here and we always lived in peace. Situation turned ugly after the Muslim man eloped with the daughter of a farmer. Since people from the woman’s community are more in number; they targeted Saddam’s house.” The woman’s mother said, “Saddam and his aides often used to threaten my daughter. He took her away forcefully and villagers became angry and attacked their house. We just want them to stay away from our daughters.”