On Sunday, 16th June, a controversy erupted in some building societies in the Mira Road region of Maharashtra’s Mumbai district. Ruckus is said to have erupted after some of the Muslim families residing in JP North Celeste society and Hill Galaxy got goats for slaughter within the society premises. The Hindus were also threatened and women were abused as they strongly protested against animal slaughter inside society premises.
As per the initial reports, the Hindu residents living in the society have submitted a written official complaint to the Kashigaon Police, but no FIR has yet been registered.
OpIndia obtained exclusive information in the given case, which is said to have happened on the evening of 16th June, ahead of the Bakrid festival. One of the Muslim families residing in the JP North Celeste society got goats for slaughter on the occasion of Bakrid. Seeing this, the other Hindu families who reside in the locality objected to the occurrence and requested the concerned family to remove the goats from the society. The Hindu families stated that getting goats into the society was not allowed as per the society’s rules. The Muslim family initially heard the plea but eventually refused to remove the goats from society.
The Hindu residents then called the local Hindu groups to seek support in the incident and also informed the Police. The Hindu members launched the protest and asked the concerned family if they had any permission from the society before getting goats for slaughter inside the premises. To this, the family claimed that they had got the goat into the society but they had no intention to execute the slaughter within the premises.
The Muslim family then was also asked if they had done any medical examination of the goat before getting it into the society. After they said no, the local Hindu groups demanded removal of goats from the society concerning the civic health of the residents. The Hindus also filed an official complaint at the Kashigao Police Station, but the same is yet to be registered as an FIR.
The Hindus in the complaint stated, “The Muslims have illegally got a goat to slaughter in the building premise. For the last 4 days, they have been asked to remove the goats even by the Police authorities, but they have blatantly refused to remove them from society. Several Hindu families reside on the premises and slaughtering an animal in the society premises is not acceptable.”
The complaint further stated that the Muslims who got goats within the society premises submitted an undertaking letter to the police. The undertaking letter stated that there was a mutual agreement signed between the Hindus and the Muslims that allowed the entry of goats into the society’s premises. However, the Hindus stated that no such agreement has been signed and that no slaughter will be allowed in the society premises. “This is all a hidden conspiracy. No such agreement has been signed. Society rules do not permit goat slaughter here. We object to this,” the complaint said.
A similar incident happened in the society next to JP North Celeste society. A Sikh family on 16th June had organized a small event outside the ‘Hill Galaxy apartment’ while it marked the death anniversary of the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev who was martyred on May 30, 1606. The Sikh women were distributing ‘sarbat prasadam’ to the locals when they saw some of the Muslims getting 14 goats for alleged slaughter in the society premises. On asking, the Muslims are believed to have lied that they were taking the goats out of society.
However, the Sikh lady objected saying that the Muslim families residing in the society had already got their personal goats for slaughter and now they were getting 4 more extra goats illegally. Eventually, the Muslims also hurled abuses and insulted the Hindu religion. “We will get the goats. Do whatever you can. Hinduo ke m** ki ch**,” the Muslims said, as informed to OpIndia by a local Hindu activist.
“They have been slaughtering animals within the society premises for the last 4 years and we keep on protesting every year. This year also they got the goats and we protested. However, then they abused women and demeaned, and insulted the Hindu religion,” the Sikh woman said while talking to OpIndia, also quoted by local media.
She also said that they sought the police help but were asked to first register an official complaint at the police station for the authorities to take any legal action against the Muslims. “The police were already deployed in the area due to the issue at JP North Celeste society. Some of the police authorities even heard Muslims hurling abuses at women. Later, after a major argument here and insult caused to Hindus, the police were personally called. However, they said that an official complaint was necessary for any action to be taken against the Muslims,” she added.
Later, after a lot of contention, the police detained the accused persons for hurling abuses at the women and assured them that strict action against them would be taken.
Lord Ganesha abused by accused Muslims, Hindus threatened saying goats will be slaughtered within the society
On 17th June, one of the residents of the Hill Galaxy apartments submitted an official complaint to the Kashigaon police station saying that one accused identified as Vajud and his associates insulted Hindus as they protested against the illegal slaughter of the goats in the society. The complaint copy which has been obtained by OpIndia says that the Muslims threatened the Hindus saying they (Muslims) would slaughter the goats within the society premises, come what may. “Do whatever you can. We will slaughter animals here only, within the society premises. Hinduo ke m** ki ch**,” Vajud said as per the complaint which is yet to be registered into an FIR. The raw complaint copy submitted by the Hindu resident has been obtained by OpIndia.
In the complaint, the resident further said that the alleged accused individual also insulted Lord Ganesh. “You people celebrate the Ganesh festival. Do we say anything then? We feel enraged and feel like puking when we see your Lord Ganesha. We will see how you celebrate your Ganesh festival here,” Vajud is said to have threatened the Hindus.
The complaint further stated that he called the builder, (R R Builders owned and looked after by Rasool Shaikh, Irfan Shaikh, Junaid Shaikh, and Jabbar Shaikh) after one of the Muslim residents abused Hindus but to no avail. “The builder said that he was out of the city and that he could not come to resolve the matter. He has also allowed construction of illegal Masjid in the building premise,” the complaint read. As per the local Hindu activist, the complaint will be submitted to the Kashigaon Police today after which an FIR will be registered.
Construction of illegal Masjid in the building
As per the exclusive information obtained by OpIndia, the builder, Rasool Sheikh initially gave houses to Hindus but later all the remaining houses were booked by the Muslims. At present, in both the societies, JP North Celesta and Hill Galaxy, around 15-20 houses out of 130-150 each belong to Hindus while other more than 100 are occupied by Muslims.
In the Hill Galaxy apartment, the builder Rasool initially had told the residents that the community space would be utilized for the gym or some club, but later a Masjid was constructed there. “The Masjid was constructed 4 years ago here. And we were not asked, nor informed about the Masjid. While booking the flat we were told that the space would be utilized for the gym but now the builder has allowed the construction of a Masjid here. People from other societies also come here to offer Namaz and it becomes uncomfortable for us,” the Sikh woman who was abused by Muslims said.
Also, the complaint filed to the Police mentioned that there’s always a ruckus happening in the society due to other Muslims coming to the society to offer Namaz in the illegal Masjid built here. “The builder doesn’t listen to us as majority of the families living here are Muslims. There is no society rule, no mutual respect here. Hindus are just harassed every coming day. We want police to look into the matter,” the complaint read.
Hindu activists abused, beaten, and assaulted
While talking to the local media, one of the local Hindu activists stated that the Muslims assaulted the protesting Hindu activists by kicking them as they protested against the slaughter of goats in the society. “This is illegal. Slaughter of animals within the society is illegal. We understand it is your religion and you have complete freedom to follow it. But the society does not allow the slaughter of goats within the premises. There are other religious people who live here and feel uncomfortable and hurt seeing animals slaughtered. They should go to slaughterhouses authorized by BMC and cut the goats, not here in the society,” the Hindu activist said.
The other one meanwhile, talking to OpIndia claimed that these two societies do not have any set rules regarding anything. “They don’t have anything to prove that slaughtering of goats in the society is illegal or is not allowed. Further, it is Muslim majority society so it becomes easy for them to harass Hindus. In the case of JP North, the Muslims have given an undertaking to the police saying that they can get and slaughter the goats in society as a ‘mutual agreement’ has been signed between Hindus and Muslims. But no such agreement has been signed as stated firmly by the Hindu residents,” he said.
The Hindu activist further added that the Police also stated that no action at present can be taken against the individual in the JP North case as there is no livestock policy in the society. “The police have been deployed in the area but they have been asking Hindus to maintain calm. The authorities initially threatened the Hindus saying now they (Muslims) have got 2 goats, and tomorrow they’ll get 10. Do you want that? If not, please maintain calm,” he said.
The police are also said to have told the Hindus that Muslims can keep goats in their houses given there is no livestock policy in the society. However, as per the local reports, the police have assured that no slaughter would take place in the society. Further police action is awaited and underway.
OpIndia called Senior PI Rahul Patil to know the current updates in the case. Unfortunately, no satisfactory answers were provided. Amid this the Islamists are spreading misinformation on social media platforms claiming that the Hindus created a ruckus in the JP North Celesta society on 16th June.
Members of the Bajrang Dal created a ruckus outside the JP North Celeste society on Mira Road in Maharashtra when some Muslim families brought lambs for Eid sacrifice. pic.twitter.com/wSHRd3jLgt
— Meer Faisal (@meerfaisal001) June 16, 2024
BJP MLA Geeta Jain confirmed the incident, says no slaugter would take place
Meanwhile, BJP MLA from Mira Bhayander region exclusively talked to OpIndia and confirmed the incident saying that goats were brought for illegal slaughter within the society premises. However, she said that the timely intervention of the police an local politicians stopped the execution of slaughter.
She also condemned the incident as she talked about Hindu women being abused at the hands of Muslims. “This is not at all tolerable. People live together in a society and they should respect each other. Those who hurled abuses at the women, those who insulted the Hindu religion have been taken into custody by the police. We demand strict action against the accused persons,” she said.
Further Jain added that these kinds of incidents are repeatedly happening in the Mira Road region where Hindus are harassed or abused for belonging to one particular religion. “We are taking steps to curb such incidents. The frequency of such incidents is increasing and it’s alarming,” she added. In the given case, when asked about the police action, she said that the action is awaited however, the police are trying to pacify the matter calling it an internal issue.
“The Police are cooperating however not to the extent as expected by the Hindu residents or local Hindu activists. Police need to take strict action against the accused persons. They are trying to pacify the matter to avoid any communal occurrence. However, they have assured that no slaughter would take place within the society premises,” she concluded.
Why do Muslims slaughter animals on Bakrid?
Muslims every year slaughter livestock during the festival of Eid and believe that the tradition was first initiated by the Prophet Muhammed himself. They kill the animal by Halal method and then distribute the meat amongst their family members and others.
As per the reports, in reverence of Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismaeel, as an act of obedience to God’s order, God intervened and provided an animal as a substitute sacrifice, leading to the celebration of Bakrid or Eid-ul-Adha. Muslims commemorate this day every year, honoring Allah via the sacrifice of an animal. It is a three-day event and comprises goat and sheep sacrifices as well as namaz.
Similar incident was reported last year
Mira Road and the Bhayander area in Maharashtra’s Mumbai district have been in the news for all the wrong reasons in the recent past. In June 2023, massive controversy erupted in the capital city of Maharashtra after one of the Muslim families living in a society on Mira Road, Mumbai brought two goats a day ahead of Bakrid (Bakra-eid, Eid-Ul-Adha). The society members happened to refuse the Muslim family to get the goats inside the society premises for slaughter and said that they wouldn’t allow any kind of slaughtering activity within the society premises.
The residents of the society on Mira Road protested and opposed the slaughtering of the goats within the society premises on Bakrid and also chanted Hanuman Chalisa. Some of the people also raised the slogans of ‘Jai Shree Ram’, the videos of which had gone viral in the media.
Ruckus in #MiraRoad high rise society ( Close to Mumbai) over #BakriEid pic.twitter.com/96ZjiCJQgA
— Sonu Kanojia (@NNsonukanojia) June 28, 2023
But the couple took the goats to the apartment after which the police were informed. The police who reached the spot immediately tried to maintain peace and communal harmony and assured the other residents in the society that no slaughtering would take place within the society premises.
The Police also allowed the goats saying that there was no such rule or law against a man getting goats or animals into his house. However, the authorities said that the concerned family would faced arrest if they slaughtered animals in his apartment or within the society premises. The detailed report on this case can be read here and here.
In the second crucial incident that was reported recently in January 2024, the Islamists attacked Hindus with stones, iron rods, sticks, and bamboo, leaving over a dozen people who participated in rallies to commemorate the return of Lord Ram in Ayodhya injured.
In the incident reported from Mira Road, Mumbai, Islamists also disrespected the Hindu religion and hurt the Hindu religious sentiments by tearing flags bearing images of Lord Hanuman. Islamists are also said to have vomited over the flags causing disrespect to the Hindu faith. OpIndia contacted the Police to know the details of the incident. The police confirmed that around 13 persons had been arrested in the case, however, IO Dilip Rakh revealed no information about the accused persons given the sensitivity of the case.
The videos of the incident had gone viral over the internet in which the Islamists could be heard raising the slogans of ‘Allah-hu-Akhbar’ while attacking the cars. They could be seen using iron rods and sticks to attack the Hindus. Even the videos of women being attacked made rounds on social media.
Islamists raised slogans of 'Allah-hu-Akhbar' after cars on #miraroad attacked. They puked on Hindu flags. I have zero courage to share disheartening videos showing Hindu flags dipped in puke. It hurts to see #Hindus disrespected @NiteshNRane's rally is scheduled today. pic.twitter.com/am8vmVkksl
— Siddhi Somani (@sidis28) January 23, 2024
Later the Police and the local administration took cognizance of the event and bulldozed the illegal properties of the Islamists staying on the Mira road who were involved in the stone pelting. As per reports, the illegal construction of the accused persons involved in the Mira Road clash was razed to the ground in the presence of Maharashtra Security Force and Mumbai Police.
This year in February, OpIndia reported 15 cases in which Hindu girls were deliberately trapped by Muslims in the Mira Road region and then raped, and converted to Islam. Hindu activists while talking about the incident had said that the cases of Love Jihad had been on the rise in the region but were allegedly were being ignored by the administration. Detailed reports in this case can be read here.
In the given case, complaint has been filed by the Hindu residents but the FIR is yet to be registered. The Hindu residents await strict police action.
