Communal tension between majority and minority communities in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh refused to abate with fresh cases of violence on Sunday.
With at least 10 more deaths on Sunday, the toll has risen to 21, amid allegations of complicity by the State Government. However, locals claimed that more than 50 people have been killed so far.
Firing continued on Saturday night in minority-dominated areas like Bhura, Nishad, Shahpur, Nagla Bujurg, Kutba Kutbi and Khalapal, despite deployment of the Army, paramilitary and State police forces. Tension gripped the neighbouring districts of Meerut in the east and Shamli in the west of Muzaffarnagar. With violence spreading to rural areas, hundreds of people have been forced to flee their homes and take refuge in police stations. Villagers told The Pioneer that local leaders, mostly belonging to the ruling party, added fuel to the fire.
On Sunday, violence continued to spiral and tension gripped the entire Western UP. The Army staged flag marches and thousands of anti-riot police personnel were deployed to restore law & order.
As a precautionary measure, Army troops were also stationed in Meerut and Shamli as two persons were reported to be killed in violence in Meerut. In Kutba, where four people were killed, mobs set ablaze a religious place, several shops and vehicles. In Phugana village, cops said three members of a community had taken shelter in a police station, fearing violence.
“As it (violence) is going on in several villages, it is taking time to defuse the situation,” said Additional Director General of Police Arun Kumar, who took stock of the situation in the affected areas. District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma said that 21 people died in the violence. He said shoot at sight orders have been issued to control the situation and avert recurrence of any untoward situation. Officials said apart from the Army, 10,000 Provincial Armed Constabulary personnel, 1,300 CRPF men and 1,200 Rapid Action Force personnel have been deployed.
Though the district administration had prohibited locals to come out from their houses but signs of loot, arson, stone pelting and firings were reported from most parts of the city.
Victims said that hooligans from the minority community prevented security personnel from entering their areas claiming to have patronage from local politicians.
Areas like Prakash Chowk, Almathpur, Shiv Chowk, Khalapur, Hanuman Chowk, Shamli Road, Gaushala Mohalla, Rampur, Krishnapuri, Abupura, Mimala Road, Almaspur, Minakshi Chowk, where a reporter and a cameraman were killed on Saturday, Joli village, Kutba-Kutbi area, Shahpur, Kawal village, Kacchi Sadak chowk, Civil lines area, Ahilya Chowk, Khalapal, ladawala, Mallupur, Nagla Bujurg, Gurjua Chungi, Najipura, Dallupura, Bhura, Nishad, Basi village are worst affected. 30 people have been arrested so far, while cases have been registered against 300 people.
Considering gravity of the matter, senior officials of UP Government, who were posted in the district earlier, have also been called back to and have been holding dialogues with the locals to bring back normalcy.
Meanwhile, locals accused the district administration of protecting the perpetrators. “The officials are shielding the minority community. The local politicians too have been moving around freely in the minority-dominated villages and fomenting tension,” said Gopal Kumar, a resident of Hanuman Chowk in Muzaffarnagar.
local traders and businessman blamed police complicity for the volatile situation. “They (minority) have become fearless. In last one year, there have been several instances of communal clashes but the administration remains a mute spectator,” said a local trader preferring anonymity.
On August 27, violence erupted between two communities over the alleged molestation of girl followed by the killing of two youths. The siblings of the victim killed the accused and in retaliation both siblings were also stabbed to death. The same day, the UP Government transferred the District Magistrate and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) for dereliction of duty. On Saturday, violence erupted again in the city when hooligans attacked over hundred persons going to participate in a panchayat.