Amravati burns as mobs of religious fanatics continue rioting over fake news

Editorial Comments

• It is shameful for the Police that they couldn’t stop the religious fanatics who were openly involved in the violence !
• Will such Police be able to ever end terrorism ?
• Knowing history that the protests of religious fanatics eventually turn into riots, how do the Police grant them permission ? Don’t the Police learn from their experiences or are they pressured by someone ?
• Due to alleged incidents in Tripura, the religious fanatics came together in Maharashtra for rioting; has any Hindu ever protested against the attacks on them and their temples even verbally ?
• Hindus are targeted by the religious fanatics despite Police protection; this is shameful for the Government !

14^th November 2021 : Amravati in Maharashtra has been burning since 12^th November (Friday) due to back-to-back stone-pelting incidents and damage to public and private property. Sandip Patil, Additional Police Commissioner, imposed a 4-day curfew in the Amravati city to avoid any further incidents. As per the orders, only people with medical emergencies can come out of the house. Additionally, not more than five people can gather at a place.

The series of incidents started on 12^th November during rallies called by the Muslim organisations protesting against an alleged incident of burning down a mosque in Tripura. Such rallies took place and stone-pelting was reported during the rallies taken out by Muslim organisations to protest against incidents in Tripura at Amravati, Nanded, Malegaon, Washim and Yavatmal. Police have so far arrested 20 people and detained 4 others by registering 20 FIRs under various charges, including rioting, in connection with Friday’s incidents.

Notably, Tripura Police clarified that the alleged incident that led to the rallies in Maharashtra had never occurred in Tripura. Also, these rallies took place without permission of the Police.

Union Home Ministry Statement

Union Home Ministry issued a statement regarding the violence in which people were urged not to get misguided by the fake reports regarding Tripura.

The Union Home Ministry press release said, ‘News reports have been circulating that a mosque in Kakraban area of Gomati District in Tripura has been damaged and vandalised. These news reports are fake and are a complete misrepresentation of facts. The mosque in the Dargabazar area of Kakraban has not been damaged, and the Tripura Police in the Gomati District is working to maintain peace and tranquillity.

There has been no reported case of damage to the structure of any Masjid in Tripura in the recent past. There is no report of simple or grievous injury or rape or death of any person in these incidents, as alleged in some social media posts.

People should maintain calm and should not be misguided by such fake reports. For instance, in Maharashtra, there have been reports of violence and unsavoury statements that are aimed at disturbing peace and harmony based on fake news regarding Tripura. This is very concerning, and it is urged that peace is maintained at all costs”.

What happened in Amravati on Friday ?

On Friday, over 8,000 people gathered outside the office of the District Collector. The aim was to submit a memorandum demanding action against the alleged atrocities against the Muslims in Tripura. However, when the people were leaving, incidents of violence took place at several locations between Cotton Market and Chitra Chowk.

One of the most disturbing videos showed Muslim children being part of the propaganda. In the video shared by a user, MVAgovt, a small kid with a skull cap holding a poster was seen asking a shopkeeper if he was going to close shop on Friday. The poster read, ‘Can you close your shop and business for the respect of Rasoolullah ?’

Furthermore, several videos and photos emerged on social media showing how the Muslim mob pelted stones targeting specifically shops owned by Hindus in the city. In one of the videos, a Muslim mob was heard raising slogans of ‘Allah-hu-Akbar’ outside a shop named ‘Mathura Bhojanalay’ owned by a Hindu. Twitter user Karan Sharma shared the video that had two parts. Some photographs were also shared in which damaged vehicles and injured Hindus were seen.