moradabad 6 july 2011 police-public clash fact finding report

MORADABAD POLICE PUBLIC CLASH ON JULY 6, 2011

A FACT FINDING REPORT BY

ASSOCIATION FOR PROTECTION OF CIVIL RIGHTS

Title Page Number

1. Introduction: Locating Moradabad, Affected District 3

2. Demographic, Socio-Economic Profile of the affected area 3

3. Recent history of Communal Problems in the district 4

4. The July 6, 2011 -Chain of events 4

5. Media Coverage 6

6. Interviews with the Local Administration, Villagers, 8

Police, Victims and families of Victims

7. Overall Findings 19

8. Suggestions and Recommendations 20

9. Team Members 20

INDEX

3Moradabad Police-public Clash on July 6, 2011: A Fact-Finding Report by APCR

INTRODUCTION:

Demographic, Socio-

Economic Profile of the

District

Locating Moradabad

District

Moradabad is a city in Uttar Pradesh state

of India. It was established in 1600 by

Murad, the son of the Mughal Emperor

Shahjahan; as a result the city came to

known as Moradabad. It is the

administrative headquarters of Moradabad

District. Moradabad is situated at a

distance of 167 km (104 miles) from the

national capital, New Delhi, at the bank of

River Ram Ganga (a tributary to the great

Ganges). The city is famous for its huge

export of brass handicrafts to North

America and Europe, and is also thus called

"Brass City" or Peetal Nagri (in the local

language).It has close to four million

citizens of various ethnicities and religions.

The geographical area of the Moradabad

District is 3493 Sq. Km. Its Total

population is 27,61,620 out of which males

are 14,94,220 and females are 12,67,400.

Of the total population, 18,77,570

constitute the rural population and the rest

i.e. 8,84,040 makes the urban population.

Administrative divisions

The Moradabad District is divided into 6

Tehsils & 13 Blocks. Total no. of Nyay

Panchayats in the district are 87 while

Gram Sabhas stands at 883. The total

populated villages are 1388. The total no.

of Police Stations in the district are 26 out

of which 9 are in rural area and 17 in the

Urban area.

The Affected Villages-

Dingarpur, Asalatnagar Wagah,

Asadpur, Nankar etc.

These all villages located 10-15 Kilometer

South west direction from Moradabad

District Headquarters on Moradabad -

Sambhal road. Population of this area is

mostly dominated by Muslims.

Transport business supports the economy

and livelihood of the area. Peoples are

mostly truck drivers, daily wages labors,

farmers or runs small business at the local

market. Education level is very low. There

are no standard educational institutions in

the area.

4

console and control people. People

became violent and attacked on public

property, burnt the police jeep and some

property at the local police station.

12:00-1:30 Peoples protested and road

blocked at Dingarpur Village. Local

Administration failed to console and

control religious hurt sentiments of the

local Muslim community. Police lathi

charged to open road blockade. Mob

became violent, burnt the police chauki at

the village. D.I.G. coming to the Thana

Manather with D.M. was caught at

Dingarpur Village. Watching the situation

getting out of control the D.M. returned to

district headquarters but D.I.G was caught

in the agitating crowd and he opened fire

against the stone pelting villagers. DIG's

firing critically injured four persons

including two juveniles who have bed

ridden sine 6th July 2011. Mob became

more violent attacked on police officials

causing serious injuries to D.I.G and

others.

1:30-2:30 – PAC called and curfew

imposed at Dingarpur. Police behaves like

hired goons. Police has brutally beaten

children, women and senior citizen

indiscriminately. They looted shops and

destroyed houses and properties. Police

arrested thirty eight persons including

juveniles.

–

Recent history of Communal

Problems in the district

July 6, Chain of Events

There have been a number of riots and riot

like situations in Moradabad in last three

decades (1980-2011). In most of the time

the Muslim community has been at the

receiving end of the police violence. The

July 6, 2011 violence indicates the same

police behavior which has not changed at

all. As the communal charged atmosphere

in Moradabad is nothing new, the police

being the primary law enforcement agency

have learnt nothing from the past

experiences.

7.00-7.30 am – Police allegedly desecrated

the Holy Book Quran in Asalatnagar

Wagah during raid the house of Tasleem in

search of Muslim, a 30 year person alleged

to molest a girl living in the same village.

8.30-9.30 am – The news of discretion of

Quran reaches adjacent villages like

Dingarpur and Nankar

10.00-11.00 am – People join to protest

against the discretion of Quran and road

blockade at Asalatnagar Wagah

demanding suspension of the culprit

police officials.

11.00-11.30 – Road Blockade opened with

help of M. P. of the area and Police

Administration assuring public to take

action against the culprit police officials.

11:30-12:00 – Peoples full of religious

sentiments reached Manather Police

Station demanding termination of culprit

police officials. Administration failed to

Moradabad Police-public Clash on July 6, 2011: A Fact-Finding Report by APCR

5

A SCENE OF FAILURE OF LAW AND ORDER: PHOTOS PUBLISHED IN THE MEDIA


6

The media coverage of the incident was

biased as none of them reflected on the

police atrocities and the facts. Majority

of the reports whether for Hindi (Dainik

Jagran and Amar Ujala etc) or for

English (Indian Express etc) newspapers

showed the villagers and the Muslim

community as the perpetrators of

violence and in a way portrayed the

police atrocities as a response to that.

This reporting however missed the issue

of police desecration of the Quran and

without meeting the community termed

this desecration of the Holy book as a

rumour. All the local media became

mouthpiece of police officials. This was

one of the major factors for Association

for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR)

sending a fact finding team to

understand what actually happened.

MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE JULY 6, 2011 VIOLENCE


7

NEWS CLIPS PUBLISHED IN LOCAL MEDIA


8

The villagers seemed to be scared of any

vehicle entering into their area. They

suspected it to be a police vehicle. The

team went to the very house where the holy

book was allegedly thrown and kicked by a

police official.

The girl Noorjahan around 12 years of age

studies in the Madrasaa Islamiyah, a

madrasa located at the village masjid. She

narrated the whole incident right from the

arrival of the police to the alleged

desecration of Koran.

Sequence of the events as narrated by

Noorjahan

- Police team comprised of four

officials of which two were in civil dress

and the other two were daroghas carrying

guns. They entered the house and asked

about Muslim, a man in his mid-30s who

had allegedly molested and attempted to

hurt a young girl (around 15 years of age)

of the same village

Police entered the house when Noorjahan

was alone in the house .No lady police was

with police team. They destroyed and

broke all the things like Charpayi, Chulha

boxes and desecreted the Holy Quran,

when she complained, the police kicked

The Holy Book and slapped her. She ran

away from the house and when returned

with her mother and villagers she found

that Rs. 10,000 cash with some gold

ornaments had been stolen by the police.

Villagers supported her statements.

7.00 am

DM's Office - 12.45-1.15pm

Asalatpur/Asalatnagar Wagah

Village 1.30- 3.45 pm

The first meeting with the DM was at 1pm

which continued for not more than 15

minutes.

Mr. Sameer Verma is the new DM who has

taken charge after the 6 July, 2011

Moradabad violence. He joined the office

on 16 July 2011. DM seemed to support

the police action against the juveniles

saying that he had seen media clips of

children pelting stones at the police. When

we raised the question that women were

beaten, shops and private properties are

destroyed and looted by police officials, he

demanded live video evidence and

suggested us to complain in written. The

next question was to get his response on

the direct police firing and illegal arrest of

innocent juveniles he refused to accept that

this was the case. He was not at all ready to

listen and accept that the police violated

the basic human rights and attacked

women and children and looted the

property of villagers.

Then the team left for Salatpur Wagah to

meet the girl who was allegedly slapped

when she objected to the desecration of

the Holy Koran by police officials.

When we reached the village, we saw a large

number of villagers including children ran

away from the village to the nearby jungle.

INTERVIEWS WITH THE LOCAL ADMINISTRATION,

VILLAGERS, POLICE, VICTIMS AND FAMILY OF VICTIMS

Note: No one has filed an FIR against the Police, largely due to the fear of police repression and also due to the fact that most of

the villagers are illiterate daily wages laborers'.


9

Noorjahan (11), Asalat Nagar Wagha, POLICE BROKED EVERYTHING DURING SERACH


10

?Four people have died including two

senior citizens and two children

?38 people including young boys are in

jail

?Bachon mein dehshat hai (The children

are terrified/ there is terror among

children)

?Sare Anpadh hain (Everyone is illiterate

hence unaware)

?Majdoor Admi Pareshan hain aur Dare

huye hain ( the village comprises largely

of the labour class who have been in

constant after this incident)

?Humein Insaaf Chahiye ( We demand

justice both for the culprits, the police

and the victims, the poor villagers)

?Rihan Karen bekasoor bachhon ko ( We

demand the release of innocent

children (juveniles) who are now in jail)

?Logon ke dil mein dehsahat hai ki do

hazar log arrest honge (people fear that

a total of two thousand people would

be arrested and anyone can be picked up

by the police)

?Lahnat hai humari zindagi par jab

Koran Sharif ko beizzat kiya jaye (It's a

shame for a Muslim to tolerate such ill-

treatment of the Holy Koran)

Women in the Village

?Four people died in this village due to

mental trauma of police atrocities and

not getting proper care by their family

members because most of youth were

fled from the village and not returned

yet due to fear of police repression.

?38 people arrested on that day including

5 juveniles and one physically

challenged from adjacent villages. All

are in Moradabad Jail till the date.

?6 F.I.Rs registered against 350-villagers

under section of 147/148/149/436/

332/353/427341/342 I.P.C and 3/4

Prevention of Damage to Public

Property Act with 7 Of Criminal Law

Amendment Act.

A Group Discussion like situation

Key Points

?Terror inflicted on people

?At least 25% of people are away from

home

?The labour class has suffered the most

Other members of Village

KEY POINTS-AFTER 1 MONTH OF INCIDENT


Fig. 1 & 2: MEETING WITH S.H.O MANATHER POLICE STATIONFig. 3: A GROUP DISCUSSION LIKE SITUATION AT ASALAT NAGAR WAGAH

Fig. 1

Fig. 2 Fig. 3

11Moradabad Police-public Clash on July 6, 2011: A Fact-Finding Report by APCR

12

?The police believe that the entire issue

has been politicized to gain electoral

mileage.

?The discussion also hinted that the

opposition leaders have tried to incite

violence.

?The police claimed to have the video

footage of young boys' involvement in

burning the police jeep.

?The police clarified that they have only

arrested 38 people on the day of

violence and contrary to some rumors

no one has been arrested.

?Police rejected the fear of the local

community fear that 2000 people have

been identified and would be arrested.

Police Station

4.00-5.20pm

The key points that emerged during our

discussion with the Manethar Police

?We found that the Police station is

heavily understaffed hence al l

personnel are over worked.

?The police stressed that the Quran

episode is a planted story and there is no

truth in the claim of the girl.

?The police claimed that they respect all

religions and their holy books and have

not done anything to wrong to the book

Holy Quran.

?The police insisted that the girl

(Noorjahan) has changed her version

of the story (on the desecration of the

holy book) at least three times.

Police Station

4.00-5.20pm

The key points that emerged during our

discussion with the Manethar Police

?We found that the Police station is

heavily understaffed hence al l

personnel are over worked.

?The police stressed that the Quran

episode is a planted story and there is no

truth in the claim of the girl.

?The police claimed that they respect all

religions and their holy books and have

not done anything to wrong to the book

Holy Quran.

?The police insisted that the girl

(Noorjahan) has changed her version

of the story (on the desecration of the

holy book) at least three times.

Dingarpur and Nankar

5.30pm -9.30pm

Profile of people interviewed and description of police violence is put in a table

S.

No.

1.

2.

Name and Age

Saimeen (38)

Taufik (father of Tauseef,

16)

Village

Dingarpur

Dingarpur

Relationship to

the Victim

Herself was the

victim and her

husband has been

tortured by the

police before he

was sent to jail

Father

Description of What

happened

Saimeen was attacked and

brutally beaten by male

police. She is wife of

Gram Pradhan Kamil

who is also arrested and

brutally beaten by police

officials.He is still in

Muradabad Jail.

Tauseef (16) is in 11th

standard and he was not

at home. He had gone to

his Bua's (father's sister,


13

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Suka (70)

Hasnan

Hasnan

Zakir Hussein

Sarwari (60)

Imran (30)

Saddam Hussein (18)

Dingarpur

Dingarpur

Dingarpur

Dingarpur

Dingarpur

Dingarpur

Dingarpur

Self

Uncle (chacha) to

Rehan who is not

more than 14

years.

Brother of

Manzoor Ahmad

(40)

Brother of

Shakur Hussein

Self

Brother of Kamil

Pradhan

School student

aunt) place in Asadpur.

He was arrested along

with 2 friends, all

juveniles.They all are in

Muradabad Jail.

I am suffering from

respiratory problem.

They broke my door

while entering. The police

hit me on leg, hand and

chest. I was unconscious

for some time after that.

They broke everything in

my home.

He was there in the

crowd and was shot by

the DIG. His condition

has been very serious and

he is under treatment in a

Delhi hospital.

My brother was arrested

along with his friend

Mohd Ali (35).

Is in Muradbad jail since

6 July 2011

Was injured in the

indiscriminate lathi

charge by the police

When we both brothers

reached Dingarpur there

were no violence, it was

in fact over. Then 50

Jawans came to get my

brother They beat him

black and blue. They

beaten my brother's wife

and broken the

motorcycle of my

brother.

Beaten black and blue


14

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

Mohd. Yusuf

Mohd Fukran, 55

Haji Budda, 57

Mazhar Hussein

Mohd. Amir Raza (40)

Ghulam Rabbani (15)

Rehan S/o Ahsan (14)

Dinaspur

Dinaspur

Dinaspur

Dinaspur

Allahpur

Bhikan

Nankar

Dingarpur

Son of Bholu

Chowkidar

(Small time shop

owner)

Brother

Self

Self and Brothers

Self

Self

Self

and abusive language was

used against him by the

police..

Police Raid- They looted

my shop and took away

the 35, 000 cash in the

shop.

Accused of firing/setting

alight the police vehicle at

the police station.

They entered my house

and broke essential

furniture's and food

grains.

Mazhar Hussain-Named

in F.I.R he was not

present in the village he

was present in

Moradabad District

Court in other matter. He

showed evidence to the

team.

I was trying to make a

peaceful intervention to

stop the violence. I was

beaten by the PAC, still

stopped cameras to take

pics.

I have passed 10th this

year. I was hit by a bullet

from the back. It pierced

my stomach and damaged

my intestine. I have had

three surgeries and my

family has spent more

than 1.5 lakhs. No

authority has ever visited

me after I was shot.

Admitted to Lok Nayak

Hospital Delhi -was on


15

17.

18.

19.

Unanimous

Mohd Kamran Ali

(15 years)

Mohd Sarfaraz

(10th class student)

Dingarpur

Dingarpur

Dingarpur

Maroof (21)

BBA Student

School student

Self

School student

his way to market to

purchase some necessary

things when was caught

in police firing. Severe

injury at lower stomach.

He is on bed since 6 July

2011. Father is a daily

wages labour and has

already spent Rs.35, 000.

Total family members six

including two boys and

two girls.

Studies in Tirthankar

University.His laptop,

desktop and internet

modem were completely

damaged by police beside

several other household

items

It was difficult to go to

schools

Lived life in the police

terror looming large

everyday on poor

villagers.


16

Team Comment: This is a deadlock and

has not led to any peaceful resolution of

the issues, complains and grievances.

Excessive use of police force has violated

human rights of innocent villagers and this

has not been recognized by the police and

the administration. This is high time that

the normalcy is restored with the joint

effort of police and administration and the

first step would be to suspend those who

have desecrated the Quran and those who

have brought physical and mental trauma

to the community by severely beating

innocent villagers and putting them behind

bars.

Peoples are afraid of police .All boys and

girls were out of village due to the fear of

police and P.A.C. After one month still 25

% of boys and girls are not ready to return

home.

No business has taken place since then.

The community of daily wages labours and

truck drivers they have incurred an

estimated loss of Rs. 10 million. Schools

have remained closed during this period.

Administration has not taken any action

against the culprit police officials. It is clear

that grievances redressal has not been

taken care of and the blame game is

continuing between the village community

and the administration.

GROUP DISCUSSION POINTS

INTERACTING WITH THE VICTIMS OF POLICE ATROCITIES AT DINGARPUR


17

Gulam Rabbani (14 ) resident of Nankar student of 10th standard injured by police bullet, was on the way to purchase some household materials.

Family has spent up to Rs. One lakh. No aid received from anyone.

Rehan (14), resident of Dingarpur, injured by police bullet under treatment at Lok Nayak Hospital Delhi caught in the market purchasing some farming materials. His father is daily wages labour, has spent Rs 40000 yet. No aid received from anyone. He has 2 sons and two

daughters in the family.

Properties destroyed by police personnel on 6th July, 2011


18

PROPERTIES DESTROYED BY POLICE PERSONNEL ON 6TH JULY,2011


19

1. Desecration of Quran has some truth.

Noorjahan statement was witnessed by

neighbors' also. It was not only a

rumor.

2. When this news spread villagers

blocked the national highway

demanding suspension of culprit

police officials.

3. The fact is that first the mob jammed

the main road and then attacked the

police station as the administration

failed to respond and console the hurt

of religious sentiments of the people

and could not satisfy their demands.

The DIG got information about the

incident. He was arriving at Mainather

Police station but the mob stopped him

on the way at Dingarpur village, Then

DM of Moradabad who was also

travelling with him, watching situation

out of control he returned to District

Headquarters but DIG was caught in

the scuffle. DIG opened fire against

stone pelting of the villagers which

reportedly injured four youths

including juveniles. Mob became more

violent and attacked on police officials

resulting serious injuries to D.I.G and

others.

4. Police in reaction behaved like hired

goons. They have destroyed and looted

shops, beaten women, juveniles and did

not spare the senior citizens also. These

all acts of violence by the police are

beyond the law of the land. The Police

have registered fake F.I.Rs against

villagers and have arrested mostly

innocent peoples.

5. The violence has done severe damages

to the local society and economy.

6. Villagers have been living in fear and

the children have been the worst

affected.

7. The police atrocities not been brought

into limelight. Local media reported as

mouthorgan of police officials.

8. No FIR has been lodged yet against the

police. No action taken against those

culprit police officials who initiated the

entire episode resulting in loss of

property, Business, Police-community

relations, communal harmony and the

peace in the district.

9. The DM is new and perhaps has done

not enough study to understand the

incident and it's after effects on the

local people. Nevertheless in our

discussion we expected him to give us a

brief account on the role of the

administration in the given situation.

The team did not find him as an

efficient administrator in this case.

10. The entire community in the nearby

villages like Asalat Nagar Wagha,

Dingarpur,Asadpur,Nankar etc. is

living in constant fear of the police and

this fear has seriously affected their

daily life, living and maintenance of

family life. Children have been without

food, without education and without

security for more than four weeks.

Daily wage laborers and the farmers are

the most affected.

OVERALL FINDINGS


20

1. U.P. government should take proper

action against the culprit police

of f ic i a l s as the i r i l l eg a l and

irresponsible action initiated the entire

episode, resulting in loss of property,

business, damaged police-community

relations, communal harmony and the

peace in the district. The Police and the

local administration must be asked to

submit their report in a time bound

frame.

2. Withdrawal of all F.I.Rs and immediate

release of innocent villagers should be

initiated.

3. State Government should provide

proper compensation to the affected

villagers.

4. This case must be investigated by the

National Human Rights Commission,

National Commission of Protection

of Child Rights (NCPCR) and

National Commission for Women

(NCW) and should take proper actions

of Human Rights Violations.

5. Proper training must be provided to

the police to deal with situations that

can erupt due to hurt of religious

sentiments & Police- community level

meeting should be scheduled with the

help of community leader to

strengthen police-public relations as

soon as possible.

SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

1. MR. SYED AKHLAK AHMAD

Secretary Delhi Chapter-Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR)

2. MR. AFROZ ALAM SAHIL

RTI activist and Founding Editor, Beyond Headlines (www.beyondheadlines.in)

3. MR. DILNAWAZ PASHA

Sub-Editor, Bhaskar.com (Dainik Bhaskar Group)

4. MR. JAVED

Advocate, Moradabad District Court

5. MR. KAMALA KANTA DASH

Research Scholar, Monash University, Australia and Founder President of Initiative for Nationalism,

Secularism and Affirmative Action Network (INSAAN), Delhi

TEAM MEMBERS


Design: +91-9810650228 [email protected]

moradabad 6 july 2011 police-public clash fact finding report

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