On Tuesday, 27th August, the Madhya Pradesh police arrested Haji Shahzad Ali, a main accused involved in the violence that took place in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh, over Ramgiri Maharaj. Ali, the mastermind behind the stone-throwing attack on the police and bearing a Rs 10,000 reward on his head, was reported missing during the investigation.
According to the reports, he was arrested while he was on his way to the court to seek relief. The accused, who is believed to own a huge mansion and several cars, could be seen traveling in an e-rickshaw. The accused had also hid his face with a cloth while on his way to the Court.
The Police were checking all the main roads in search of Ali. However, they suspected one of the persons who was traveling by e-rickshaw. The police asked him to remove the cloth on the face to learn that it was the main accused in the Chhatarpur violence case. Ali was then immediately arrested. According to the police, Shahzad Ali already is a history-sheeter and has 6 cases registered in his name.
On August 21st, stone pelting occurred at the Kotwali police station in the Chhatarpur district. Following the event, a lookout notice was issued against him. Previously, it was reported that he may have escaped abroad. Police conducted extensive raids on his different hideouts as they prepared for his arrest.
The police have arrested Ali, who, along with a large crowd, attacked the Chhatarpur Kotwali police under the pretext of delivering a memorandum from the Muslim community. In this instance, 46 persons have been named, with over 100 others identified.
Notably, on 22nd August, the Madhya Pradesh administration took strict action against Islamists who pelted stones and created a ruckus in Chhatarpur Kotwali police station last week. The Muslims are believed to have protested against Ramgiri Maharaj from Maharashtra who allegedly made derogatory remarks about Prophet Mohammed last week.
The police registered a case against 150 people involved in the ruckus after the orders were issued by CM Mohan Yadav. The FIR included 50 named and 100 other people who pelted stones at the police station injuring two officers. After this, Chief Minister of the state, Dr Mohan Yadav directed the police to take strict action against the culprits of this incident. Reportedly, the state administration began demolishing the houses of the accused who pelted stones at the Police at Kotwali Police Station.
As per the local reports, the bulldozer action happened amid heavy police force and administration team present on the spot. As notified to the media, accused Haji Shahzad Ali’s house in Mastan Sahab Colony of Chhatarpur city was demolished with the help of a bulldozer.
It is important to note that the members of the Muslim community in Chhatarpur demonstrated against Ramgiri Maharaj at around 4 pm on Wednesday. During this, the Muslims resorted to stone pelting and rioting, damaging some vehicles and injuring two police officers. The Hindu saint during one of his sermons in Nashik, indicated that several Islamists have disrespected women in the past because of the religious doctrine they follow. The remarks sparked wide outrage in several districts of Maharashtra including Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik, Mumbai, and Pune with several Islamist leaders and organizations filing FIRs against Ramgiri Maharaj for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims.
Chhatarpur DIG Lalit Shakyawar said that about 300-400 people led by religious leaders Syed Haji Ali and Syed Javed Ali had come to the police station to submit a memorandum on Wednesday, 21st August. They were demanding to register a case against Ramgiri Maharaj, against whom several FIRs are already registered in Maharashtra.
Shakyawar said that the crowd suddenly became aggressive and started pelting stones, which continued for about ten minutes, after which the police had to fire tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. The DIG said that due to stone pelting, Kotwali police station in-charge Arvind Kujur has suffered serious injuries in his hand and head. He is undergoing treatment.
