Days after a groom’s marriage ceremony procession was attacked, a number of households from the Dalit neighborhood in an Aligarh village say they need to depart the village, accusing individuals kind a minority neighborhood of harassing them repeatedly, particularly over marriage ceremony processions.
Members of the opposite neighborhood have denied the allegations, and as an alternative accused individuals within the marriage ceremony procession of violating Covid-19 laws by assembling in enormous numbers, and with out masks.
The altercation befell at Tappal’s Noorpur village on Thursday. An FIR has been filed accusing some members of the Muslim neighborhood for alleged assault and utilizing casteist slurs, whereas the Dalit members have been booked for alleged violation of Covid protocol.
“We obtained data 5 days in the past {that a} scuffle befell throughout a groom’s procession in Noorpur,” Shiv Pratap Singh, CO, Khair, mentioned. “Prima facie, we discovered that individuals from a minority neighborhood had requested the opposite minority part to halt the procession till their prayers have been accomplished. This escalated and somebody within the crowd vandalised a car belonging to the groom’s aspect.”
“The household has additionally alleged they have been crushed up, which is being investigated,” he mentioned.
In keeping with police, the procession was being taken out in a lane reverse a mosque on Thursday. Because the congregation coincided with the afternoon prayers, residents requested the household to halt music by DJ till the prayers have been over, in response to native residents and police officers.
The groom’s aspect allegedly refused and an argument ensued.
“It was my daughter’s marriage ceremony and as a part of the ritual a few of us had gone to carry the baraat residence,” mentioned Omprakash, an area resident. “We have been intercepted by individuals from the minority neighborhood; they objected to the procession. Our neighborhood has confronted oppression on many events — they try to cease our marriage ceremony processions. Once we tried to purpose, they attacked and beat us.”
“It was humiliating to face this one my daughter’s marriage ceremony day. I additionally obtained accidents,” he mentioned.
A number of residents alleged that bored with police and administration inaction, they’re compelled to contemplate migration. On Monday, The Indian Categorical discovered rows of homes belonging to individuals from Jatav neighborhood having put up messages with blue chalk, stating that their home was on the market. “I put up this signal as a result of we need to depart. The Dalit neighborhood has been on the receiving finish of insult and assault. We don’t really feel protected on this village,” one resident mentioned.
The CO mentioned: “The SDM and senior cops have been in contact with the residents. They’ve been assured of all potential motion. They’re cooperating with us. We now have additionally stationed police personnel within the village.”
Noorpur is predominantly a Muslim village, with practically 800 homes. There are about 100 households from Dalit neighborhood.
“We now have movies of the procession, displaying lots of of individuals,” Alam, an eyewitness, mentioned. “Once we advised them to take precaution, they bought aggressive. We additionally requested them to halt for a couple of minutes till the azaan was over. They mentioned nothing will cease the procession…This seems to be politically pushed since each communities have lived right here peacefully.”
The native residents additionally alleged that most people named within the FIR weren’t even current in the course of the incident.
The FIR has been registered below related sections of SC/ST Act in opposition to 11 individuals. It alleged that individuals from the Muslim neighborhood have harassed them throughout marriage ceremony processions in earlier cases as nicely. The Dalit members face an FIR for violation of Covid-19 laws below the Epidemic Act.