Violence broke out in Atali village in Ballabgarh on Monday evening over a mosque construction site under dispute, as suggested by reports.
As houses were set on fire and stones were pelted in the area, the communal tension built up leading the Muslims of area to desert their homes and flee for their safety. According to a report in The Indian Express, the mosque under construction is surrounded by 20 houses, 17 of which belong to Muslims.
Police said that the village had been witnessing communal tension since the beginning of May, when the construction began.
The Muslim community of the area has alleged that the violence was planned and that the police’s delayed action was deliberate. The attacks began at 5 pm and the police’s arrival has been reported to be at 6 pm. The police said that immediate actions were taken and all the injured people were sent to a local hospital in a civil bus.
“We had just begun praying when the attacks started. They came in groups of 10 and attacked each house. Bricks and gas cylinders were thrown hurled inside the houses. They attacked us with baseball bats and sticks. We tried to escape by locking ourselves inside our homes,” a villager told the paper.
Bhupinder Singh, DCP (Faridabad) said, “We have lodged an FIR under sections pertaining to rioting. We are investigating the matter. Additional forces have been deployed in the village to prevent further violence. We haven’t made any arrest yet, but will do so soon.”
Image Courtesy: Hindustan Times