Two brothers were arrested on Monday on the charges of vandalising shrines in Bijnor to incite communal tension and they were being grilled by sleuths of the UP Anti-Terrorist Squad, Intelligence Bureau and Special Task Force about the motive.
The brother duo, identified as Mohammed Kamal and Mohammed Adil, were found sporting orange headbands as they destroyed over 100-year-old mazars — Dargah Bhure Shah Baba and Jalalshah Baba along with Qutub Shah’s tomb — in Bijnor’s Sherkot area on Sunday evening. They also set fire to the ‘chaadar’ offered to the tomb.
ADG, Law and Order, Prashant Kumar said on Sunday that it was a conspiracy to spoil the atmosphere in the state. According to information received so far, Kamal has been to countries, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and the investigation agencies will also probe this angle.
Apart from the ATS, IB and STF, other central agencies are also expected to interrogate the brother duo. The incident came to light when some passersby spotted the duo who were on a rampage. Later, police were informed.
Surprisingly, they were also sporting saffron headbands, probably to misguide the investigating agencies. The Bijnor DM and SP reached the spot and ordered immediate repair work, thus averting a situation which could have snowballed into a law and order problem.
The incident came on the eve of the second Monday of Shravan. The Bijnor SP said he received information around 4:30 pm that the Jalal Shah’s tomb was vandalised. The police reached the spot and arrested both the accused. The brother duo were said to be mentally ill.
Meanwhile, the UP Police have deployed helicopters and arranged for aerial vigil on the Kanwar Yatra routes. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has issued instructions to ensure the safety of all the pilgrims and all possible facilities.