Cops deployed after hate posters dot walls in Bareilly village

Residents of Jayanagla village of Bareilly are disturbed after hate posters asking Muslims to leave the village were found pasted on walls of their houses on Tuesday. Police registered a complaint and initiated investigation into the matter.

The posters titled ‘Jai Shri Ram’ ask Muslim residents to leave the village by the end of this year. “Every Muslim is hereby informed to leave the village by 30-12-2017,” reads the message on the note.

The note further warns of ‘Trump like consequences’, if they fail to adhere. “If you fail to leave, we will do in the village what Trump is doing in America because ‘bhajapa’ (BJP) is going to make the government in Uttar Pradesh,” reads the note.

The note is undersigned as ‘Gaon ke Hindu’ (Hindus of the village). “Around six posters were pasted on the walls of the village, which were noticed by people on Tuesday. Villagers objected to it and complained to the village head who reported the matter to the police,” said Yamuna Prasad, SP (rural), Bareilly. Police removed the posters and registered a complaint, he added.

According to villagers, the police initially declined to write any complaint regarding the matter. It was lodged later in the night after villagers reached the police station with a local politician. “Ours is a peaceful village but a few miscreants are trying to destroy its peace. Police must arrest those behind it and send them to prison,” said Reva Ram, the village head. The village located some 30 km from the district headquarter has over 500 houses, of which 200 are inhabited by Muslims.

Meanwhile, the police detained three men for inquiry into the matter. “

These persons are owners of internet cafes in the village and have printers. The posters were allegedly printed in one of these shops,” said Dalbir Singh, SHO, Sheehgarh police station who is investigating the matter. Though the situation remains peaceful, a police picket has been deployed in the village to avoid any untoward incident.