By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: Families of victims of Dhule riot today filed a writ petition (PIL) in the Supreme Court. Delhi based NGO ANHAD (Act Now for Harmony and Democracy), that had released a citizens’ fact finding report on the riot is also a co-petitioner in the PIL.
The petition has been filed Mohammad G. Naseer, father of 24 year old deceased Asim Ahmad, Asif Ali, elder brother of deceased 23 year old Imran Ali, along with ANHAD.
Shabnam Hashmi and Prof Apoorvanand with the victims’ families from Dhule at the Press Club, New Delhi.
On January 6, as the scuffle between two communities began over eatery bill, leading to stone pelting from both sides, injuring over 200 people, including several police personnel, cops opened fire. What is interesting, however, is that while mob from both sides were engaged in stone pelting, but bullets were fired only on Muslims. Video clips, apparently recorded by the people from the camera of their mobile phones, also reveal police personnel ransacking houses, burning bikes and cycles.
Six people died and several others were injured, including three persons whose limbs had to be amputated from bullets. Many people who were hit by bullets were not even part of the mob, but were accidently present in the Machhibazar market at that time.
35 houses were burnt to the ground and many shops were also burnt. After that the police registered FIRs against the Muslim community and it is only much later when the minority community raised a protest that complaints are being accepted by the police, but no FIR is being registered behalf of the Muslim community till date.
Signs of loot and arson are visible at every corner of Machi Bazar and Madhavpura area
The PIL is seeking a direction from the Court for the establishment of an SIT to investigate the incident, and prosecute the criminal offenders including police personnel and government officials in accordance with law and to pass an order directing the respondent to immediately pay Rs.25 lakhs to the next of the kin of the deceased, Rs. 15 lakhs to those disabled, Rs. 10 lakhs to those injured with Police bullets and suitable compensation to those whose houses, shops were burnt, looted and destroyed.
On January 18, a citizens’ fact finding team had released a report in the capital raising serious questions over police ‘biased’ actions in Dhule, although they fell short of calling it ‘preplanned.’ The fact finding committee consisted of Shabnam Hashmi from ANHAD, one of the petitioner organization, Prof. Ram Punyani of the All India Secular Forum, Prof. Apoorvanand of Delhi University, Advocate Nihalsing B. Rathore and others.
The fact finding report has been annexed with the PIL.
Related:
Dhule update: No improvement on ground say civil society members
Civil society fact finding team questions police ‘bias’ action in Dhule