2 days after clash, Sultanpur residents tense, some prepare to leave

On Friday, Mohammad Farooq (45), a vegetable vendor, was seen leaving in a hired SUV along with 10 family members. “Why would I stay here? The police have taken action only on one side, and entered our homes and beat up people,” he said. Several people The Indian Express spoke to in the locality alleged that police entered homes and misbehaved with women and children.

Asia Bano (35) alleged the police and other people entered her house, beat up men and misbehaved with women. “I have sent my husband and sons to a relative’s house,” she said. Asked about people leaving, the SP said, “No one is migrating. If someone wants to leave, we can’t do anything. We have deployed police. No injustice will be done.”

Regarding the incident on Wednesday, a complaint lodged by one Mohammad Ahmad has alleged that around 80 people, including one Satyendra Upadhyay, burst crackers in front of a mosque and raised anti-Muslim slogans. “They were asked to not do it. Then they entered homes and beat up people. Policemen also entered the mosque and indulged in vandalism, this was led by Upadhyay,” says the complaint.

Upadhyay is a BJP leader and holds the post of zila sah sanyojak, prabudh prakosht, confirmed Sultanpur BJP district chief Dr R A Verma.
Asked why an FIR had not been lodged based on this complaint, SP Meena said, “They are the ones who beat up people. During investigation, if we find that FIR needs to be lodged, we will do so.”

Contacted by The Indian Express, Upadhyay said, “On Wednesday evening, sweets were being distributed and diyas lit for the bhoomi pujan at Ayodhya. Mohammad Akram was drunk and started abusing outside a shop owned by Ram Dhiraj Verma — as Verma’s son is in RSS. He also abused one Satyam and beat him up. By then, there was a crowd. One Hari Modanwal was parking his motorcycle when Akram beat his brother Kuldeep Modanwal. Then, some Muslims gathered and entered the Modanwals’ house and assaulted people. A police officer, Abdul Qadir, picked up one person from the Modanwal side… Then the power went off, and a crowd of 300 people came with lathis… Later police came and the crowd was chased away.”

Upadhyay said that four people were injured, and “around 50 youths have left the area due to fear of police”.
On the allegation of policemen entering homes, he said, “Should we not catch people and let them fight? I will ensure that justice is done in the case.”