A fact-finding team of activists on Monday claimed that the violence in Kasganj on Republic Day was not a spontaneous incident but a “planned move to create polarisation and violent confrontation.”
Releasing a report here under the banner of ‘United Against Hate,’ the team which visited Kasganj on February 2, also accused the Uttar Pradesh police of partisan action targeting the minority community.
“After talking extensively to local people of both the communities, it became clear that the situation in Kasganj was not any spontaneous clash between two communities but was a carefully planned attack,” said the report, released here by retired IPS officer S.R. Darapuri, who was part of the team.
One person, Chandan Gupta, died of bullet injuries, while several were injured on January 26 after violence broke out during a bike rally taken out by some youths through sensitive localities.
Mob ran amok
“The police and administration, as testified by locals and ground evidence, played a partisan role, and allowed the mob led by Sankalp Foundation and ABVP to run amok and indulge in organized violence, specially targeting Muslim-owned shops and property, including two mosques,” said the report.
“No protection is given either to the shops or homes of targeted Muslims or to mosques that were attacked. Police has not visited these sites to inspect or collect evidence,” it added.
The activists also accused the police of omitting from its FIR the attack on two mosques as well as the sealing of only Muslim populated localities during the tension, citing these as examples of prejudice.
They found that the affected shopkeepers found it difficult to get their FIRs registered. “The bias and prejudice of police is also acting as a deterrent for people to come forward and lodge individual cases of assault and damage,” the report said.
