New Delhi: Enraged by the death of a Hindu youth Ram Gopal Mishra in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich, rioting mobs unleashed a wave of violence against Muslims and torched and vandalised their homes, shops, bikes, tractors and cars. They also looted mundane household possessions such as gas cylinders, food grains and goats, according to almost a dozen criminal cases seen by The Wire. Muslims and their properties were targeted in both rural and urban pockets of at least two police station areas of Bahraich during the communal violence.

The mob violence broke out after the initial communal flare-up on October 13 in Bahraich’s Mahasi area during the annual procession for the immersion of Durga idols.

After the killing of Mishra due to a gunshot injury, moments after he had climbed atop a Muslim house and broken their railing while uprooting an Islamic flag and replacing it with a saffron one carrying the name of Ram, multiple mobs started targeting Muslims and their property in the area. These incidents of wanton violence took place on October 13 as well as the following day when Mishra’s body was being taken for cremation.

While the Bahraich police says it has lodged 14 FIRs in the entire matter – from the initial flare-up in the Muslim locality to Mishra’s killing and the arson and vandalism against Muslims – we accessed 11 of these FIRs. Eight are linked to the incidents of arson and violence against Muslims, while the other two are about a Hindu youth, Sudhakar Tiwari, who was injured in the initial disturbance and the looting and arson at Saroj Kumar Tripathi’s public convenience store. One FIR was also lodged by the sitting BJP MLA from Mahasi Sureshwar Singh for an attack on his car when he was engaging with locals who were protesting against Mishra’s killing.

Cops lodged 5 of 7 FIRs against Muslims

Five out of the seven FIRs lodged in cases of violence against Muslims were lodged by police officers, and in each of these cases, the police said that the arson and vandalism left behind an atmosphere of “chaos and terror.” All cases of rioting and vandalism seen by The Wire were lodged against unidentified persons or large mobs. The vandals were armed with lathis, iron roads, clubs, spears and other sharp objects and carried glass bottles filled with flammable material and petrol.

Maharajganj bazar, Chandpara and Chandpara Jot villages, Razi crossing, Mahasi block Kasba and Sadhuwapur village were among the affected areas. The violence erupted after some local Muslims objected to the playing of loud music – other versions say, the music was also vulgar – in the Durga idol procession that was passing by their door in Maharajganj area on October 13. This led to a dispute, and according to police, a tense situation was created after groups from both communities came face to face.

According to some accounts and police, it is alleged that some local Muslims pelted stones at the Durga idol procession after the initial heated discussion over the mounted DJ accompanying the procession. Before his death, Mishra was seen atop a Muslim house, where he uprooted a railing while removing a........

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