‘Masked men attacking people in dist’

Manzoor is also member of the 10-member harmony committee constituted by Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav to help restore peace in Muzaffarnagar.

The government has also denied any link between Thursday’s violence in Bhaurakala and Budhana areas and a woman’s murder in Phugana police station area same evening while also claiming that the situation in Muzaffarnagar was tense but under control.

UP ADG (Law & Order) Mukul Goel said the incident at Jat-dominated Mohammadpur Raisingh village under Bhaurakalan area was the fallout of a quarrel between locals. Villagers were working in the field when a dispute broke out. One Rajendra was beaten up and he informed others who dragged three people from another group and killed them,added Goel.

Goel also said a case has been registered in this regard against 15 named persons and 8-10 unidentified persons. Eight people,including Rajendra,has been arrested. “Rajendra was not seriously injured and is in police custody,” he confirmed.

The UP ADG refused to admit that the incident was a communal clash. He said an FIR has been lodged in the murder of a woman at Phugana police station. “Her husband Rajendra escaped while the woman was shot by a group of persons. In the FIR,five persons — Salamatullah,Gayyur,Ikram,Momin and Ayub — are named while 15 others are mentioned as unidentified. No arrests have been made.”

Incidentally,he added,both the victim and the named accused belong to Lisad village,which was the most affected village during the recent Muzaffarnagar riots.

When asked that most Muslims from Lisad are living in relief camps,Goel said the matter will be investigated.