Uttar Pradesh Police Arrests Bajrang Dal Member Over Shrine Demolition
Incident Overview
The police in Uttar Pradesh have detained a member of the Bajrang Dal and are on the lookout for eight additional suspects linked to the destruction of a two-century-old shrine in Mawai village, Fatehpur, which occurred on Tuesday.
The individual arrested, Narendra Hindu, serves as the Bhitoora block coordinator for the Bajrang Dal and has been presented in court.
Details of the Shrine
The shrine, dedicated to Wali Shah Baba, was situated in an area predominantly inhabited by Hindus. It had previously suffered partial damage during road construction, but local residents had repaired it.
Witnesses reported that a group of approximately 24 men used hammers, spades, and sticks to demolish the shrine while making derogatory remarks about Bangladesh.
Police Response
The incident gained attention after a video of the demolition circulated widely on social media, prompting the police to take action.
A first information report (FIR) was filed against five identified individuals and four others who remain unnamed, following a complaint from a sub-inspector.
Charges Filed
The accused face serious allegations, including damaging a place of worship, inciting communal tensions, and disturbing public peace.
The FIR cites various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to rioting, defiling a place of worship, and promoting enmity among different groups.
Official Statements
According to Alok Pandey, the station house officer at Husainaganj police station, one individual has been arrested and is currently in custody, with further actions against the others named in the FIR underway.
Local revenue records indicate that the shrine, measuring around 10-12 square meters, lacks official recognition as a shrine.
Claims by Bajrang Dal
Amresh Kumar Singh, the tehsildar of Sadar, noted that the structure was built years ago on land designated as part of the village settlement, which is primarily occupied by Hindu families.
Bajrang Dal members assert that the shrine's demolition is tied to a land dispute, with provincial coordinator Virendra Pandey claiming that the site was being used to assert land ownership. He stated, 'Some bricks were removed, but there was no shrine. Residents cleared the site themselves.'