Headlines
Ballabhgarh riots: Hunt on for 50 accused
Ballabhgarh (Haryana), June 5
The police are on
the lookout for 50 alleged arsonists who have been charged with
attacking the Muslim residents of Atali village in Ballabhgarh 10 days
ago.
The local police and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) are
simultaneously conducting two separate probes to nab the accused booked
in 17 separate FIRs (First Information Report) registered at Chhainsa
police station.
The police registered these FIRs after a violent
mob of nearly 2,000 allegedly attacked Muslim villagers with bricks,
swords, spears and petrol bombs on the evening of May 25.
At
least five people were injured and about 20 houses gutted after a clash
erupted over the construction of a mosque in the village.
Deputy
Commissioner of Police (Ballabhgarh) Bhupinder Singh told the IANS that
the SIT of 20 expert officers was constituted just two-three days after
the Atali rioting.
Singh told IANS that the 50 attackers have
been identified but their names cannot be revealed as it will help them
keep out of the police's reach.
Singh said: "Considering the
gravity of the case, we have constituted the SIT which I am supervising.
We have also involved expert officers from Crime Branch."
Other
than investigating the violence, Singh said, the police are trying to
calm the situation in the village and secure it for the Muslims
residents.
"We have managed to build the wall of the mosque which
was the bone of contention. The damaged gas pipelines have also been
repaired so that the minority community can live at their homes and
cook food," Singh told IANS.
Singh has also arranged community meetings between Muslims and Jats on two occasions to ensure peace and harmony.
Over
400 men, women and children who had taken refuge inside Ballabhgarh
police station were sent back to the village on June 3 with an assurance
of safety.
However, only 150 of the 400 Muslim villagers, who had taken shelter at the police station, returned on June 3.
Sixty-year-old
Hasina, whose house was torched, said that the people of her community
fear the 50 accused from the Jat community who had attacked them.
"We can't breathe a sigh of relief unless the attackers are arrested," Hasina told IANS.
(Rajnish Singh can be contacted at [email protected])