A week after a Muslim mob attacked the residents of Karauli, Rajasthan, on the auspicious day of the Hindu new year, victims have come forward to narrate the terror that was unleashed on them by the Islamist mob.
Speaking to Republic Bharat, one of the victims of the recent Karauli communal clashes, where the mob mercilessly attacked Hindus on the day of the Hindu new year, said the Muslims had meticulously planned the attacks on Hindus and waited for the procession atop of their houses.
“The Hatwara bazaar was suspiciously closed on that day, and the Muslims were already waiting at their terrace for the procession to arrive. We thought they were there to watch the procession. But as soon as yatra reached the Muslim-dominated locality, there was intense stone-pelting. The Hindu devotees riding two-wheelers were hit by huge stones and had to escape for their lives. More than 40-50 people who had participated in the yatra were seriously injured,” he said, speaking to OpIndia.
#BREAKING | Republic speaks to a victim of the Karauli violence who was stabbed multiple times, watch as he names his attacker: Tune in #LIVE here – https://t.co/0PSuWS2DTR… pic.twitter.com/hjStWksOAC
— Republic (@republic) April 15, 2022
A Hindu devotee, who was stabbed seven times, said he was ahead of the Ram rath yatra and added that he stayed back at the spot to save innocent kids.
“I was trying to save the Hindus stuck in the riot situation, more than 50 people carrying sharp weapons, lathis, and rods ran towards us from across the mosque street. They mercilessly attacked the Hindus who participated in the rally. I was attacked and sustained severe injuries, including multiple fractures,” he added.
“As I was rescuing kids, Mushtaq, a local Muslim leader, who is a government employee, stabbed me in the back. We knew all the attackers very well. They attacked us with sharp weapons. Hindus, who tried to escape from the spot, received severely thrashed by the violent mob,” said a victim, adding that he has all the video evidence to substantiate his allegations.
He further added that at least 5-7 trolleys of stones were pelted at Hindus on the day of Ram Navami celebrations in Karauli.
Muslims shut shops just before Karauli violence started, say Hindu victims
Earlier, the Hindu residents, who were attacked by the mob and their shops got looted, had said they did not want to stay in the Muslim-dominated locality anymore as they feared for their life.
The victims of the recent Karauli communal clashes had said they do not feel safe in Karauli and planning to move to other secure location with their families.
The victims had said that the Muslim mob took out a rally on Saturday at noon, and later in the evening, they assembled and attacked, looted and set fire to shops owned by Hindus. The residents all confirmed that they knew the attackers very well as they had been neighbours for many years.
Fearful of another round of attacks from the Muslim mob, some of the victims have decided to move out Hatwara Bazar area.
Karauli attacks
On April 2, communal violence broke down in the Hatwara Bazaar area of Karauli when miscreants pelted stones at a Hindu bike rally while more than a dozen shops and three bikes were set on fire.
Reportedly, 43 people, including policemen, were injured in the mob attack while the rally was celebrating ‘Nav Samvatsar’ passed through a Muslim-dominated area. All were admitted to the district hospital. The condition of a person named Pushpendra is said to be serious. He has been referred to Jaipur.
Four policemen accompanying the rally were also injured in the stone-pelting on the bike rally. The reports said that there were knife marks on the body of the injured who reached the hospital.
