Unidentified persons allegedly attacked a group of Muslims from Pune’s Kondhwa area who had gathered near a lake in Askarwadi village to break their fast (iftar) on Friday evening, in what appears to be a hate crime targeting Muslims.
Feroz Sayyad, 36, a resident of Kondhwa who runs a cloth stall, lodged a First Information Report (FIR) at the Saswad police station in Pune Rural.
In his complaint, Sayyad said that he and his friends had travelled to Askarwadi village on two-wheelers and four-wheelers carrying fruits and food to break their fast around 6.30 pm.
The FIR states that more than 100 persons, some allegedly armed with wooden sticks and sharp weapons, arrived at the spot on several two-wheelers. They reportedly questioned the group, made Islamophobic remarks, and assaulted them.
According to police, the assailants demanded that the youths remove their skull caps before assaulting them with sticks and sharp weapons, leaving at least 11 people injured.
Police have registered a case against around 100 to 150 unidentified persons under Sections 118(1), 189(2), 190, 191(2), 191(3), 351(2), 351(3), and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with provisions of the Indian Arms Act.
Police Inspector Kumar Kadam of the Saswad police station said that some local persons have been detained and that an investigation is underway to determine their involvement. He added that arrests will be made after verification.
This story was originally published in maktoobmedia.com. Read the full story here.