Muslims flee Aligarh village as communal clash ghost returns

ALIGARH: Tension returned to Khurrampur Nagla Mewati village here after Ramveer Sharma, who was injured in communal clash over a mosque toilet last Saturday, died in hospital on Thursday evening.

Several Hindus thronged the post mortem house while three BJP MLAs, former Aligarh BJP mayor and BJP Aligarh mayoral candidate Rajeev Agarwal came out in support of their community.

They put Ramveer’s body on Etah Chungi crossing causing a traffic jam, which was lifted only after the administration assured them that their demand would be fulfilled. Meanwhile, as soon as the news of Ramveer’s death spread, Muslims of the area began fleeing the village leaving behind their domestic animals to fend for themselves.

The administration has deployed heavy police force to maintain peace. Last Saturday a clash broke out over a toilet that is attached to a mosque. Hindus, led by Ramveer, had reached the site to demolish the toilet and Muslims had come out to oppose the act.

Soon an argument ensued and someone from Ramveer’s group opened fire, killing a youth named Hasin on the spot. Ramveer, 50, too received a bullet

›

We have assured the family of action on their demand. Documents for demolishing the toilet have been sought from authorities concerned. A decision will be taken soon RISHIKESH BHASKAR YASHOD, Aligarh DM

injury in cross-firing. He was admitted to hospital where he died on Thursday night.

As a precautionary measure cops, after post mortem of Ramveer’s body, sent it to his house in Praduman Vihar colony on GT Road instead of the village, where he was living at present. But as soon his body reached his house, tension began to build up.

The Hindus have demanded demolition of the mosque toilet at the earliest. Aligarh DM Rishikesh Bhaskar Yashod told HT, “We have assured the family of action on their demand. Documents for demolishing the toilet have been sought from authorities concerned. A decision will be taken soon.”

Hindu Mahasabha city in charge Sachin Sharma said, “Ramveer was continuously demanding justice from officials but they ignored his demand.”

Sharma demanded that Vijaygarh police station officer be suspended.

Seema, wife of Ramveer, said: “Since six months we were making rounds of administration offices to get the toilet removed from our land but they did not act.”

Aslam, a relative of deceased Hasin, said: “Politicians, particularly from BJP, are politicizing this unfortunate incident. They are giving it a communal colour. As MPs and MLAs have interfered into the incident, the administration is under pressure. Muslim families have deserted the village leaving behind their domestic animals. We will only return to the village when the administration guarantees us security “.

A villager Ashok Singh said that, “This communal clash has claimed two lives. The toilet story has broken our centuries’ old communal harmony. The administration should deal with the incident in an impartial way.”

There are only 25 Muslim families in Nagla Mewati with nearly 150 voters. They have left the village after Ramveer’s death.

Nearly 90 villagers of Khurrampur are named as accused in the FIR for Saturday’s clashes and most of them are absconding. PRADEEP SAXENA