The Madhya Pradesh Police in an first information report filed in connection with the violence in Barwani district during a Ram Navami procession on April 10 have named three men who are in prison since March, NDTV reported on Friday.
Communal violence had erupted in Sendhwa town of Barwani district when a group from the Bargaon village was on its way to join the procession. A police station in-charge and five others were injured. Clashes were also reported from Khargone district when Ram Navami processions passed through Muslim neighbourhoods.
The three men, identified as Shabaz, Fakru and Rauf, who have been named in the police case for Barwani violence are jailed in an attempt to murder case filed against them on March 5. However, the police have accused them of setting a motorbike on fire during the communal violence on April 10.
When pointed out, police officials told NDTV that the new case was registered based on the statement given by the complainant. “We will investigate the matter and take information from the jail superintendent...,” senior police officer Manohar Singh told the news channel.
Shabaz’s mother Sakina asked why the police have filed another case when her son has been in prison for one-and-a-half month. She also said that her home was demolished after the violence and authorities did not even send a notice.
“He was arrested after a fight but the police came threw us out, my child is in jail so I want to ask why the FIR was registered against him,” she added, NDTV reported. “We told the policemen that he is jail but no one was ready to listen to us. We folded our hands, apologised. They have taken my younger son also.”
On Monday, the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government demolished homes and shops belonging to Muslims who were allegedly involved in violence in Madhya Pradesh. Opposition leaders have criticised the action, saying that the Bharatiya Janata Party government has no right to raze a person’s home without conducting a proper investigation.
Lawyers also told Scroll.in that there is no basis in Indian law for the authorities to demolish properties of people accused of participating in riots. At least 45 properties were demolished in Khargone.
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