INDIA

90 per cent of those arrested in connection with Haryana violence Muslims, many of them minors

By News Desk

August 10, 2023

Following the communal clashes in Haryana’s Nuh district, a total of 170 persons have been arrested–Most of these people belonging to the Muslim community.

Quoting Police sources, Muslim Mirror reported that approximately 90 percent of the arrested individuals are Muslims.

A total of 56 FIRs were registered in the north Indian state.

Muslim community members have raised concerns over alleged bias in the arrests.

They claim that the police disproportionately targeted Muslim men while failing to take adequate action against Hindu men involved in the violence.

A senior police officer acknowledged the high number of Muslim arrests but emphasized that action was also taken against Hindus responsible for the unrest.

Notably, four suspects involved in the torching of a mosque were apprehended.

Amidst the controversy, Muslim families are seeking justice for their arrested relatives, maintaining their innocence. Among those detained are individuals who are believed to be under the age of 18, further intensifying the debate surrounding the arrests.

In some cases, family members assert that their detained sons and brothers were minors at the time of arrest, suggesting a potential violation of legal protocols.

One widow, Hurjahan, who had lost her husband last Ramzan, pleads for the release of her sons and son-in-law.

Her sons, Junaid and Adil, along with her son-in-law Inam, were arrested in connection with the violence. Hurjahan attests that on the day of the violence, Junaid was at the library, Adil was tending to Inam’s shop, and Inam was at home. Some families contend that their detained relatives were far away from the scene of the violence when it occurred.

The Superintendent of Police (SP) of Nuh, Narendra Bajjarnia, maintains that all arrests were made based on evidence and age verification procedures.

While tensions remain high in the aftermath of the communal clashes, concerns over the fairness of the arrests and subsequent legal processes continue to cast a shadow over the district.

As investigations unfold, the complex legal intricacies involved in this case are being closely examined.