Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - HT Navi Mumbai Live
House of Muslim man accused of kidnapping Hindu woman set afire
AGRA: Members of a few rightwing groups on Friday set ablaze the house of a Muslim man, who was accused of kidnapping a Hindu woman, in Agra’s Runakata area, police said. The woman, however, has said that she went with him willingly.
According to the police, the incident is linked to the alleged abduction of a 22-year-old woman, who went missing on April 11. Her family members subsequently lodged a missing person’s report at Agra’s Sikandra police station, an official familiar with the matter said.
Based on the complaint, Sajid (26) a gym owner, was booked under Section 366 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing a woman to compel her to marriage) of the Indian Penal Code. The woman was later traced in Delhi on April 13, while Sajid remained untraceable, said an official.
Later, in a video that surfaced on social media, the woman was purportedly heard saying that she is an adult and went with Sajid of her own volition. HT could not independently verify authenticity of the video.
Senior superintendent of police (Agra) Sudhir Kumar Singh, who has seen the clip, said: “The girl has stated in video recorded message that she is an adult and went with Sajid on her own will.”
However, members of rightwing organisations continued to demand Sajid’s arrest. On Friday morning, a mob attacked the two houses belonging to Sajid in Runakta locality. “The two houses have been locked and the family members are missing since April 11, when Sajid was booked for abduction,” said senior superintendent of police (Agra) Sudhir Kumar Singh.
“On Friday... some notorious elements of self-proclaimed rightwing organisations targeted two houses of Sajid... burned down one and ransacked the other.”
An FIR has been registered against 20 named and 200 unidentified accused on charges of arson, while police post in charge, Jitendra Singh, was suspended for negligence. “Nine of those found on the spot have been arrested and are being questioned...,” SSP said.
“Those arrested belong to different right-wing organisations, including Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad and Dharam Jagran Samanvyaya Sangh,” said deputy superintendent of police (Hariparvat Circle) Satya Narain.
The woman, he added, is currently staying at a shelter home.
Right-wing organisation Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha called the attack a “reaction to the action aimed at disgracing the respect of Hindu girls and women”.