By IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, 02 July 2015: A little over a month after the communal violence hit Atali village in Ballabhgarh of Haryana, the village on Wednesday witnessed fresh clashes between the two communities resulting in the injury of at least half a dozen people. The incident took place three weeks after the hundreds of Muslim villagers returned to their burnt homes following the four-cornor peace talks involving Muslims, Hindus, administration and politicians.
Some Muslim activists who have been helping the victims of the 25th May violence see the latest incident as a result of no arrest in the first violence.
“Even after FIRs in which several rioters were named, no arrest was made by the police. This seems to have emboldened the attackers,” said Ishteyaque, a social activist in Faridabad.
The Wednesday’s violence started at the time of Noon prayers when reports say stones were thrown at the mosque resulting in heavy stone-pelting from the two sides. But the Jats alleged that stones were thrown first at the temple adjacent to the mosque.
It is said that police did not make any arrest after the May riot for fear of deterioration of the situation. The National Commission For Minorities in a report following a visit to the Atali village on 28th May had said that an alleged main accused of the violence was present when the NCM delegation visited the area and he even got involved in altercation with Muslims accompanying the delegation. According to the NCM, he was apprehended at that time but let free as soon as the NCM delegation left the village. The NCM had demanded arrest of all the accused.
An elderly Muslim who was injured in the 1st July 2015 violence in Atali village of Haryana, being treated at Sarvodaya hospital in Faridabad.
Even though Muslims had returned to their village on 4th June – after camping at the local police station for 10 days – the situation was not normal there as media reports said the Muslim villagers faced a boycott in the village and little interaction with members of the majority Hindu Jat community. The Muslims were taken to their homes in the presence of heavy police force and police had since been camping at the village, yet the fresh violence erupted.
“The police and civil administration did not execute its duty in the May riot in Atali. If they had acted strictly, this fresh incident would not have happened. The police force was deployed there it seems the miscreants had no fear, rather they were considering the police as their supporters,” said Delhi-based social activist Inamur Rahman, who has made several visits to the area after the May violence and met victims.
At least six people were wounded in the Wednesday violence and they are being treated at a local hospital in Faridabad. Inamur Rahman is leading a team to the hospital this evening.
The fresh violence is also being linked with the court case involving the mosque whose hearing is scheduled for today (Thursday).
“A hearing is scheduled for today in the case related to the title suit of the mosque. It seems yesterday’s violence was executed to influence the court proceeding,” said Ishteyaque.
