Armed men assault six Muslims inside Haryana mosque; 10 held

Community members say there was no previous enmity or provocation

Sonipat police commissioner B Satheesh Balan also visited the village where the worshipers performing namaz in a mosque were assaulted. (Express photo by Manoj Dhaka)

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As many as six Muslims in a mosque were attacked by a group of armed men in a Haryana village on Sunday evening, the police said. The assailants also vandalised the property in the mosque, said an injured person.

The police have arrested ten people and filed a First Information Report (FIR) against 19 people in connection with the incident at Sandhal Kalan village in Sonipat district. It is learnt that the attackers also hail from the same village. The police personnel are camping in the area to ensure law and order. The victims said that the worshipers who were performing Ramadan prayers in a small mosque received injuries on their heads, legs and hands. “Even children and women were also not spared by the group who were armed with hockey sticks, swords and other sticks. Some of the injured people have been admitted to Sonipat government hospital,” said an injured person.

The villagers have condemned the incident and have decided to ensure the safety of the community and the mosque, the Sonipat police officer said. (Express photo by Manoj Dhaka)

Meanwhile, a police officer told The Indian Express that six people have received blunt injuries in the incident. “The injured have lodged a complaint against 19 people while 18 of them have been named in the complaint,” the officer said.

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Another victim told local reporters that there was no previous enmity or provocation for the incident. “The assailants were from the same village and drunk. They not only attacked us but also caused damage to the property,” he said. Sonipat Police Commissioner B Satheesh Balan–who visited the village–said that some hooligans, who are from the same village, barged into the mosque, beat up the faithful, including children, who were offering namaz. “It was unprovoked. No such dispute or tension was reported in the village earlier. There are only 15-20 families (of the affected community). The police immediately reached the spot. The villagers also cooperated. I want to make it clear that the police will take stern action in such cases,” Satheesh Balan said.

The affected community members however said that they were satisfied with the police intervention. “The policemen are doing their duty. They kept sitting in the village for the entire night. There are over 30 families from our community in the village,” said a member of the community. The villagers have condemned the incident and have decided to ensure the safety of the community and the mosque, the Sonipat police officer said.

A police officer said that the ten arrested persons are in the age group of 20-25. They were produced before a local court Monday. Three of them were sent to the police remand for one day while the remaining seven were sent to judicial custody.

A villager Raj Singh said: “The youngsters who went to the mosque were drunk. We are fully cooperating in maintaining the peace.” An injured Saleem Khan said: “The attackers assaulted my nephew with a sword. He has been admitted to neighbouring BPS Government Medical College for Women, Khanpur Kalan (Sonipat). Police is doing a great job. We just want peace in the village.”

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