SHO abetted riots: Victims to NCM

New Delhi, May 30

Riot-hit Muslim villagers in Ballabhgarh’s Atali village have demanded “strong action” against SHO Babu Lal for “abetting the miscreants” belonging to the majority community who attacked them on May 25, saying he had even “sent away” some of the additional personnel deployed at the village.

A fact-finding team of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) that visited the village on Thursday has stated this in its report.

On Monday, Babu Lal was the officer in-charge of the local police station when a 2,000-strong armed mob attacked Muslims gathered at the site of a mosque under construction for prayers and gutted houses and shops belonging to them. The officer has since been removed from his post.

“They especially named local SHO Babu Lal, who was present at the site, and had been warned about impending trouble. According to them, he, in fact, sent away some of the personnel who had been deputed at the site and accused him of abetting the perpetrators,” said the NCM report, which will soon be submitted to the home ministry.

The violence continued till Wednesday despite a police order banning any public gathering. Over 400 Muslim villagers are still taking shelter at the Ballabhgarh police station fearing retribution if they return home.

The mob, armed with axes, swords, spears, country-made pistols, petrol and gas, burnt down the mosque and went on a rampage, torching and looting 17 houses owned by Muslims in its vicinity. The mob also tried to burn a labourer working on the structure and even chopped off his fingers and toes with an axe. Police said a probe had been ordered. —IANS

Protesters in Delhi demand action 

New Delhi: Members of civil society and some minority and human rights organisations on Saturday protested, demanding “immediate” arrest of those behind the Ballabhgarh clash of May 25 between two communities over the construction of a religious structure. The protesters, along with nearly 30 victims of the incident, staged the demonstration outside the Haryana Bhawan here, demanding adequate compensation for the affected and setting up of relief camps with the provision of food, water and health facilities to tackle the ongoing heat wave. They raised slogans against the Haryana and Central governments, alleging they failed to take swift action in the matter. —PTI