Social media post creates communal tension in Agra
A social media post against the Muslims created an uproar in the city of Agra.
Six people, including former SP MLA Dr Rajendra Singh were injured in a communal conflict that flared up in the Shamshabad area of Agra due to a social media post against Muslims on Thursday. Although the situation was brought under control quickly by the police, it still remains tense and effects of it are even being felt in the Muslim-dominated areas of Agra city, where meetings are being held discussing this issue.
According to the Agra SSP Rajesh D Modak, Aakash Gupta, a resident of Shamshabad town had made a post of the social media grossly criticizing the Muslim community, which was read by a large number of local residents. The post had been made in a public group on Facebook which is operated by Aakash Gupta, operating under an alias 'Ashk Arya Hindu'.
This post infuriated the local Muslim community and some of the Muslim youth attacked Aakash Gupta on Thursday morning, seriously injuring him. Aakash soon returned with a group of his supporters who clashed with his assailants. Reaching the spot, the police arrested Aakash and brought him to the Shamshabad police station. Barely an hour later, a group of Bajrang Dal activists reached the police station and began demonstrating against the arrest, demanding that Aakash be released into their custody.
When the Bajrang Dal activists were leaving the police station with Aakash, some unknown people started pelting stones at the group upon which they retaliated by throwing back those stones. The conflict soon flared and took a communal turn with both sides firing at each other. The local police tried to control the situation but after former MLA Dr. Rajendra Singh, police constable Avinash and four other people was injured in the firing and stone pelting, more force was called from Agra, led by Dy. Inspector General of Police Laxmi Singh and the streets were cleared of both warring factions.
The situation remains tense in Shamshabad after this incident and markets have closed, with an undeclared curfew imposed on the town. Streets can be seen littered with stones, silent witnesses of the disaster that could have unfolded in this mixed-population town, if the police had not acted promptly and brought the situation under control. All the injured have been referred to the SN Medical College, Agra.
According to some locals, the conflict took a serious turn when Agra (Rural) MP Babulal reached Shamshabad and allegedly prompted the Hindu youths to fight back. Samajwadi Party Agra City President Raisuddin expressed his shock and revulsion at the incident and the MP's alleged role in the outbreak of violence and said that although Babulal has been convicted by the local court in the Panwari riots of April 1990, a repetition of the same act wasn't expected from him after he had taken an oath to uphold the constitution.