Mumbai clashes: State minority commission says attacks were planned, seeks quick action by cops

Mumbai: Following the clashes in central Mumbai on Sunday, the state minority commission has alleged it was a planned attack on the Muslim youths to instill fear among the minority community and to disturb the law and order situation in the state. “After spreading the false rumours, those returning from a procession celebrating Prophet Mohammed’s birth anniversary were attacked on Sunday night. From the pictures available, it is clear that the attack in Byculla, Parel, Dadar and Worli area was completely planned,” wrote Munaf Hakim, Chairman of State Minority Commission, in a letter to the Mumbai Police commissioner. Hakim has also asked the Mumbai police, which normally makes intensive security arrangements during all religious festivals, to clarify whether it had received any intelligence input about the attack. [caption id=“attachment_2032821” align=“alignleft” width=“380” class=" “]  Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria with other officials at the clash site on Sunday. Sachin Gokhale/Firstpost[/caption] “If it had received any intelligence input, it should provide the details of what action it had taken on it,” he wrote in the letter, adding that the video footage clearly showed motorcycles and cars were stopped by the local mob that targeted innocent people. He further noted that the incident has taken place in the same localities where attacks have been reported in the past. “This incident is an intentional attack to disturb the law and order situation in the state and to instill the fear among the minority community. Now, the police must punish the attackers involved in it and also should take measures to avoid such incidents in future,” Hakim told Firstpost. According to police officials, the tension in the area was sparked off by a rashly driven motorbike brushing against a woman near the Lalbaug area on Sunday evening. Angry locals then roughed up the biker. A few hours later, a group of bikers who were driving on wrong side of road were attacked by a mob near the Bharatmata cinema junction in Lalbaug. The mob assaulted bikers, who had been part of the Eid E Milad procession, identifying them by their clothing or skull caps, police officials said. A motorcycle was burnt in the violence and nine persons were injured. However, quick response by the police prevented the situation from going out of control. While Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria rushed to the spot immediately to bring the situation under control, the police also sent out messages to citizens stating that city was safe and everything was under control to prevent false information being circulated on social media. RD Shinde, Additional Commissioner of Police for Central Mumbai, said that the cases have been registered at four police stations- Kalachowkie, Bhoiwada, Byculla and Worli- for rioting and unlawful assembly. “We have registered cases against identified persons in some cases and against unidentified persons in remaining cases,” Shinde told Firstpost. Byculla MLA, Waris Pathan, said that the police’s quick response controlled the further damage. “But action must be taken against the accused involved in the incident,” he said.