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Hindu Raksha Dal vandalises Ghaziabad slum, thrashes residents, accusing them of being Bangladeshis
Hindu Raksha Dal chief and supporters beat up children and elderly people, damage huts belonging to Muslims; they never asked about nationality, only religion, residents tell police
Activists of right-wing Hindu groups shout slogans during a protest against the targeting of Hindu houses and temples in Bangladesh. File
| Photo Credit: AP
Falsely claiming that the residents of a Ghaziabad slum were Bangladeshis, members of a fringe group called the Hindu Raksha Dal thrashed them, damaged their huts, and burnt their household items on Friday. The police have lodged an FIR against the accused and also clarified that the victims were not Bangladeshis but Indians.
Hindu Raksha Dal president Pinky Chaudhary, along with 15 to 20 supporters, participated in the attack against a slum near the Guldhar railway station, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Madhuban Bapudham police station.
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The FIR, which was filed on the basis of a complaint by a policeman who reached the spot after hearing the hue and cry of the slum’s residents, says that Mr. Chaudhary and his supporters accused the Muslims living in the slum of being Bangladeshi. They then abused them, pushed them, beat them, shouted slogans, and broke three to four huts.
‘Asked religion, not nationality’
“I explained to them that the people of the Muslim community living in the slums are not Bangladeshis but they continued shouting slogans, fighting and manhandling the slum dwellers, due to which some people got injured during the fight and some slums were damaged,” the FIR reads.
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The videos of the attack, which went viral on social media, show Mr. Chaudhary and his gang thrashing children and elderly people in the slum. The victims also told the police that the accused never asked their nationality but only asked for their religion. A few families in the slum were Hindus, the eyewitnesses said.
‘Ultimatum’ to government
Kavinagar Assistant Commissioner of Police Abhishek Srivastava told The Hindu that the slum was built on freehold land and contained about 10 to 15 houses. During investigation, it became clear that none of the people living there were Bangladeshis.
“Taking cognizance of the matter, police has filed a suo moto FIR against Hindu Raksha Dal president Pinky Chaudhary and his 15 to 20 supporters under relevant sections for creating violence, causing hurt, and damaging property, among others,” Mr. Srivastava added.
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According to reports, the attack on the slum took place after Mr. Chaudhary had issued a 24-hour “ultimatum” to the Indian government through a video message, in which he demanded action against people responsible for atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh.
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