India: Tension after Muslim family assaulted by Hindutva activists

Gurgaon family

Gurgaon, 23 Mar 2019; Two days after a group of Hindutva activists terrorised a Muslim family, vandalised their house, beaten the family members and their guests, and stole jewellery and cash, community members assembled outside the house of Shamshad, the victim.

Tension has prevailed in the area since the horrific attack even as police arrested six accused.

The attack followed when two men on a motorbike tried to stop Muslim kids who were playing cricket in an open area near their house on Holi day. They told the kids to “go to Pakistan” and play cricket there. Argument followed and the two miscreants left with a warning that they will be coming soon.

What followed was six men on motorbike and others on foot, with swords and sticks, entered the house that belongs a Muslim family. They vandalised the house, beaten up the family members, including a woman and her guests, and stole jewlary and cash on their way out.

PTI reported the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Himanshu Garg saying that patrolling and deployment of police had been strengthened in the area to avoid any untoward incident.

The police have nabbed six people on the basis of video footage shot by one of the family members from third floor of the building, but local police officially arrested one of them, identified as Mahesh Kumar.

"a large number of drunk men assembled at the house and attacked with batons, swords, iron rods, water pipes and hockey sticks. They have beaten four persons, until one of them identified as Shahid, became unconscious. He, along with others, received head injuries," Garg reported to PTI.

It’s unclear how Garg established that they were drunk when most of the arrests were made days after the incident, and they appear to be well coordinated in the video footage.