Pune Violence: Muslim houses, shops and mosques targeted

   

Submitted by TwoCircles.net on 4 June 2014 - 6:27pm

By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,

Pune: The violence under taken by the right wing radical outfits across Maharashtra state purportedly in protest of uploading of derogatory images of Chatrapati Shivaji and late Shiv Sena chief Bala Saheb Thakerey on social networking website Facebook has affected the lives and livelihood of Muslims in Pune city and nearby areas where the raged Hindu radicals damaged number of Muslim shops, houses, mosques and madarsas.

A group of Muslim people belonging to different Muslim organizations made an emergency visit to the affected areas to understand the overall damages suffered by the community.

A Mosque with the name ‘Tanzeemul Muslimeen Darl Uloom Ashrafiya’ situated in Landewadi was damaged by the miscreants where as prayer sheets of the Mosque of Bhosari were burned by the radicals after entering the mosque and also burned a number of copies of Quran placed inside the Mosque. Five two wheeler vehicles which were parked outside mosque were all set on fire. Most students studying in the adjacent Madarsa somehow managed escape, although many still got minor injuries.

Speaking to TwoCircles.net, Mulana Azizi siddiqui, Nazim of the Madrassa Darl Uloom Ashrafiya said, “Three students have suffered leg injuries who were briefly admitted to the hospital, but most students have now gonehome. But the madrassa has been severaly damaged.” He added that situation in Pune is now calm but tense as no one is certain what may happen next.

The tomb (Dargah) of Hazrat Peer Shah Jalaluddin Shah Qadri which was situated in the same area was also vandalized. Nearly 500 Hindu radicals entered Noor Mohalla of Bhosari area with swords and petrol bombs in their hands and broke doors and windows of Muslim houses. Interestingly the houses of non-Muslims living in the same area were untouched by the radicals and only the houses of Muslims were targeted.

The prayer hall, ablution place (wudu khana), water tank and around 10 tombs (Qabar) situated in Shahi Qabarstan Trust, Bhosari were vandalized whereas 5 mosques of Hinjewadi area were also damaged. The imam of Aisha Mosque was beaten up brutally who is recuperating in Inamdar Hospital. Masjid-e-Zainab and Madarsa-e-Shabnam Garib Nawaz where students learn were also damaged badly. Three more mosques in the adjacent areas were spoiled.

One of the petrol pumps belonging to a Muslim person has been destroyed in the city by the Hindu radicals. A mosque situated in Talode basti was also damaged. Muslim houses, shops and around 20 Bakeries were targeted in the areas of Karve road, Thergaon and Wakad. These bakeries include Ismail bakery (Karve Nagar),Citizen Bakery (Sinhgarh road), Heena Bakery, Shabnam Bakery, Moti Bakery, Shad Bakery (Dattawadi), Sun Rise Bakery, Indian Bakery (Warje), Welcome Bakery, Sahara Bakery, Patel Bakery (Hadapsar), Supreme Bakery (Malewadi) and Unicon Bakery ( Phirsangi).

The visiting group of Muslims have estimated the loss of damaged bakeries alone to be one crore rupeesand were planning to write a memorandum to the police commissioner and state government.

Senior police officer Mandhre has assured the Union of Bakery, Anjuman Ittehadul Ansar that police is working to restore peace and harmony in the city and have so far arrested 116 miscreants aging between 18 to 25 years old.

(With inputs from Roznamasahara)