Fearing backlash,many flee Masuri

Since Friday night,riot vehicles,flag marches and combat boots have invaded Masuri’s usual sleepy silence. At present,at least a 1,000 police personnel,mostly armed,have been deployed to maintain law and order.

Rashid Hussain,who lives a few hundred metres away from the Masuri police station,said two families he has known for decades have already left.

“The mob on Friday attacked the police station. This has never happened before in this area and we are all scared. My friends who live behind the police station fear they will be picked up. So they have left Masuri to go to stay with their relatives elsewhere,” Hussain said.

Uttar Pradesh All India Milli Council President A M Gulzar Qasmi echoes Hussain’s sentiments. “We have been visiting the affected areas in Masuri and everybody is scared of a police reprisal. They have all heard of what happens in the wake of such attacks and have decided to move out,” Qasmi said.

He said a group of elders were trying to defuse the situation,but to little avail. “Masuri has never seen something like this before and nobody knows how to react,” Qasmi said.

A group of maulanas from villages and towns around Masuri,have banded together to bring about a modicum of peace and comfort to the families of those who were killed in the violence.

Maulana Aqil Ahmed from Meerut said they came together on Saturday morning. “This incident was started by rumours and tempers. We are visiting each house in Masuri to calm people,” Ahmed said. He added they had roped in teachers,doctors and lawyers in the effort.

“We have also been spreading the word in surrounding areas so that people do not respond to rumours. We have asked people in other villages to call us immediately in the event of an untoward incident,” Qasmi said.