On Thursday, four officers of the Pirbahar Police station in Patna were admitted to the hospital after they were brutally beaten by people of the Islamist community for allegedly arresting criminal suspects. A violent mob had first attacked a police party at a market, and then went to the police station and began pelting stones at the officers. They further assaulted the officers who moved out of the police station to save their lives.
According to the reports, the incident is said to have happened on Thursday evening when Patna Police got a tip that a few people armed with weapons had gathered in the Patna main market around the Shia Masjid. Taking immediate action, officers Amir Kumar and Rajesh Kumar Pandey conducted a raid on the spot, but they didn’t find anything. While returning to the police station, they saw that four men started to run after seeing the police. The police team caught them and tried to bring them to the Police Station for questioning. But when the news spread that police have caught the four persons and are taking them to the police station, a mob of Islamists attacked the Police officers and brutally assaulted the cops with bamboo sticks and stones.
राजधानी पटना में गुरुवार की रात असामाजिक तत्वों ने पुलिस को दौड़ा दौड़ा कर पीटा | pic.twitter.com/P9IpfFu7qr
— News18 Bihar (@News18Bihar) September 9, 2022
The incident was confirmed by Station head officer Sabih Ul Haq who said that the person who gave tip to the police about the men with weapons was incorrect. “Officers had just gone to raid the location and check but they found nothing wrong. Later when they were returning, four boys near the Shia Masjid began running after seeing the officers. They were brought to the Police station at around 10 pm for inquiry”, he added.
On the other hand, the witnesses of the incident claimed that the Police were unnecessarily beating a shopkeeper in the Patna market. “The Police held the collar of one of the shopkeepers who are into cosmetic products business. People around protested against the Police act and then launched an attack on them with bamboo sticks and stones”, the witness was quoted.
The witness added that enraged people then followed the Police officers to the Pirbahar Police Station, surrounded the police station, and pelted stones at the other officers too. According to the reports, four police officers have been severely injured and are admitted to the PMCH hospital. One of the officers identified as Subhash is undergoing treatment in the ICU.
Locals however mentioned that the person who gave tip to the Police usually provides wrong information to extort money from the traders. The person is identified as Sajjad who maintains good contact with the Police at the Pirbahar Police Station. “Sajjad’s friend works as a jeep driver at the Police station. He takes advantage of his friend and provides wrong information to the Police to extort money from the Patna Market traders”, the locals said.
Mahaviri Akhara procession in Siwan attacked by Islamists
In another similar incident, Islamists attacked the Mahaviri Akhara procession in Siwan, Bihar and pelted stones at the participants on Thursday. Reportedly, when the procession reached the Masjid area, there were some arguments between Hindus in the procession and Muslims in the area. This argument turned violent and some people climbed to the roof of the mosque and started pelting stones and bricks at the Hindus. Soon, people from houses in the area also started to attack the Hindus in the procession with stones and bricks from their terraces.
They also pelted stones at the Police who were deployed for the protection of the Mahaviri Akhara procession. Around 12 people from both the communities and also a Police sub-inspector, 2 ASIs and 6 other officers have been reported injured. Some shops in the area were also torched during the violence.
The video of the incident went viral over social media in which the Islamists could be seen pelting stones at the procession from the top floor of the Masjid. Islamist women also joined the attack and pelted stones at the participants of the procession. The Police have arrested around 10 people in the case and are interrogating the Islamists. A heavy police force has been deployed on the spot after the incident and the Police are investigating the case.
