In communal violence in Bihar, Muslims claim loot and arson by Hindu mobs.

An eight year old child and his seventy year old father have been arrested, family says innocent victims are being targeted by the Police.

On September 8th, during Mahavir Akhara rally at Barharia village of Bihar's Siwan district, communal violence broke out that led to the detention of numerous people, including a 70-year-old man and an eight-year-old Muslim boy.

Police detained Mohammad Yasin, 70, and his eight-year-old grandson Rizwan Qureshi despite the family's protests that they were both innocent.

Yasin had recently undergone two surgeries and has other critical health issues.

Image: Purani Bazaar, Barhariya

How Did the Rally Turn Violent ?

The annual Mahavir Akhara procession was held this year after being postponed for three years due to the pandemic.

On Thursday, hundreds of saffron clad men gathered in the Mahavir Akhara rally which crossed the Madni masjid  at Purani Bazaar in Barharia. This group was armed with sticks and swords and chanted communal slogans which eventually led to stone pelting.

The procession gathered in Muslim-dominated area of Pashchim Tola (near Purani Bazaar) in Siwan before moving on to the Hardiya Mela at the end.

Sameer*, a first-year undergraduate student at the Barharia College said that as soon as the mob reached in front of the mosque at around four in the evening, they started dancing to provocative music, while Muslims were praying inside.

“Some of the men who were part of the Mahavir Akhara entered the Masjid in Purani Bazaar during the early evening prayers. The Muslim men inside the Mosque objected to the entry of these men. The argument began at that point, and both sides reacted”

The Barhariya police arrived at Purani Bazaar soon after the altercation started and began lathi charge on the crowd. Many people ran away out of fear and others were detained, including those who were innocent and were present in the masjid to offer their prayers

“Despite the presence of police, the Hindu mob was uncontrollable since there weren't enough police officers to contain the crowd,” Sameer claimed.

If locals are to be believed, Muslim houses and shops were damaged and burned allegedly  by the Hindu mobs.

“Police Should Have Been More Vigilant”

The mob also caused damage to Sameer's home in the Purani Bazaar neighbourhood.

“They destroyed our door, our power meter, and other items that were kept outside the house,” Sameer* said.

He added that if the main door had not been closed, the mob would have entered their home and attacked his family. “My grandparents are living without electricity and water in that house, because that mob damaged it, what are we supposed to do?” he asked with his voice trembling. Sameer has asked us to keep his identity anonymous for fear of a backlash by the locals. He also fears that the local police will come and pick them up for speaking to the media and his family will be targeted further

.Image: Broken window of Sameer’s* house

Speaking about the Purani Bazaar area, Sameer mentioned that he grew up in the same area and had witnessed Muslim-Hindu clashes before, but this was the first time it turned extremely violent.

“This area has always been communally sensitive, police should be more vigilant, especially during the time of Mahavir Akhara,” he added.

“I feel terrible for those who damaged my house; I'll rebuild it, but what about this nation?  These people have made religion their only goal, those present in the mob are jobless, they were filled with hate,” Sameer stated.

Shops Looted and Burned

Mohammed Nasiruddin’s  general store at Purani Bazaar was burned by the mob, his family suffered huge losses due to this incident.

"We closed our shop on Thursday due to the Mahavir Akhara rally and for our own safety," Nasiruddin said.

Image: Mohammed Nasiruddin’s shop was allegedly burned by Hindu mob

He added that a mob came and set fire to their store between 4:15 and 4:30 pm in the evening.

“I noticed two people who were in the mob; they live in this neighbourhood. Everything in our store has been destroyed. We have lost a significant amount,” Nasiruddin said.

Image: Mohammed Nasiruddin looks at his burned shop

23-year-old Mohammed Armaan’s house was also damaged in the clashes.

“On thursday, my brother had asked me to lock the door from inside as the Mahavir Akhara rally would pass. We did so, but the crowd still came and attacked our home, destroying my bike and breaking our electricity meter,” Armaan claimed.

Image: Mohammed Armaan’s house

52-year-old Amir Alam Khan owns a medical store at Purani Bazaar.

"On the day that violence broke out, I closed my store. As I was running, I saw a mob climbing up to my store and breaking the shutter locks. I went back and objected, they threatened to kill me, so I had no choice but to flee," Khan claimed.

Khan added that they took  out his refrigerator, his computer and then they set it on fire.

“I had Rs. 25,000 worth of medicines in my counter, they either looted it or burned it as well,” said Khan.

Khan is the sole breadwinner of his family, he has three young daughters who are studying.

Image: Amir Alam Khan collects the remaining essentials from his shop at Purani Bazaar

Khan replied with despair in his voice, "I don't have any other work; the medical store was my main source of income, but now everything has ended.

Khan has suffered a loss of over one lakh rupees.

He stated that local residents are responsible for the violence.

“Some people in the mob live in this neighbourhood, I have seen them,” Khan added.

He also claims that burning his shop was a part of conspiracy, as only Muslim businesses were burned or looted.

“The shop next to me is owned by a non-Muslim, nobody damaged his store,” he said.

“I went to offer the evening prayer, as soon as the prayer  got over people were leaving, that's when the Akhara group came and began throwing stones and bricks. A stone which came from outside hit my foot, I had three children with me, my leg is fractured,” said 85-year-old Abdul Monaf .

Image: Abdul Monaf’s leg was injured during Mahavir Akhara violence near the Madni masjid

Monaf said that his leg was profusely bleeding.

“Police came and arrested many people, they took me as well, but when they saw my leg they left me,” claimed Monaf.

 Monaf said that the administration and police force were present in huge numbers every year but this year they weren’t.

“In Akhara, hundreds of people were armed with sticks, swords, and other weapons,” claimed Monaf.

“Hindus Shouldn’t Have Raised Anti-Muslim Slogans”

Chandan, an auto driver in Barhariya said that majority of the time - the people in Mahavir Akhara consume narcotics or other harmful substances before the procession.

Image: Chandan, auto driver in Barhariya

“Those at the rally take marijuana and other drugs, Mahavir Akhara is an annual rally, police should be more cautious, in the recent violence both Muslims and Hindus were at fault, but Hindu group shouldn't have started the anti-Muslim sloganeering,” Chandan said.

Chandan blames Bharatiya Janata Party for the communal violence in the nation.

“This government has filled everyone with religious hate, nobody wants to work - they are only fighting over religion,” Chandan added.

However, 45-years-old Sita Devi who lives near masjid in Purani chowk said that only 20-25 people were part of the Mahavir Akhara.

“The procession arrived near the masjid at around 5:00 pm, Muslims who were offering namaz came out and began pelting stones, these Muslims had already planned to attack the procession,” Devi claimed.

She said that there wasn’t any provocation from the Hindu side.

“What were Muslims doing in the masjid after namaz was over? They wanted to fight the Akhara, Muslims are jealous of us, we don’t have a problem with their events, their flag,” said Devi.

She claims that Muslim community in the area have constructed a four-storey mosque only to kill Hindus. 

8-Year-Old Boy Arrested

Siwan police has filed an FIR against 35 people and arrested 25 Muslims and 10 Hindus, and arrested 20 people in connection with the incident.

This also includes an eight-year-old boy Rizwan Qureshi and his seventy year old grandfather Mohammed Yasin.

The police took Rizwan and his grandfather from the mosque and brought them to the Baharia police station. Rizwan and his grandfather were accused of stone-pelting by the police.

Vakeelan Khatun, Rizwan's mother, claimed that her son and her father-in-law went to offer the evening namaz.

“When Akhara created ruckus near the masjid, the police came and picked my son and his grandfather from the masjid, they were just praying,” Vakeelan  stated.

On being asked about how she got to know about her son’s arrest. Khatun told the reporter that she was informed that her son and his grandfather are at Barharia police station late in the night.

"I went to see my son in the morning, but they wouldn't let me offer him food. I was worried about my son. He was tied when I first saw him, sobbing uncontrollably. He held me and begged me to take him home," Vakeelan  sobbed as she spoke to this reporter.

According to  Vakeelan, the police demanded a bribe in exchange for releasing her son.

“The police officers pulled me aside and demanded Rs. 12,000 ; how could I provide so much money when I barely have an income, my husband is a daily wage earner, we have no savings,” Vakeelan said.

Bihar ADG Jitendra Singh Gangwar in a press conference stated that Rizwan is 13-years-old and has been shifted to (Bal Sudhar Kendra) remand home.

Vakeelan, Rizwan's mother, asserted that her son is in fact eight years old. She showed his birth certificate to us. Rizwan was born on January 1, 2014, according to his birth certificate, making him eight years old as of today.

Image: Rizwan Qureshi’s birth certificate

“I want the government to look into the matter, my son has never lived away from me, he needs me, the administration should be careful, how can they arrest a young boy without any proof,” Vakeelan asked.

This reporter tried to reach out to Pravin Prabhakar, inspector at Barhariya police station, however Mr. Prabhakar declined to comment. This story  will be updated if he responds.

The FIR against 35 people have been filed under Indian Penal Code sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with a deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 188 (disobedience to order), 296 (disturbing religious assembly), 337 (causing hurt), 338 (causing grievous hurt), 435 (mischief with intent to cause damage), 427 (mischief with substance), 505 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of (party to criminal conspiracy).

When the reporter contacted Prem Chand, the magistrate who is also the complainant in the FIR, he declined to comment on the matter.