Muslims stopped from praying in UP mosque, FIR filed

Muslims in an Amroha village were allegedly prevented from praying at a mosque by local authorities, following objections raised by the majority community .After the leader of an RSS-affiliated farmers’ organization turned up and warned both police and Muslims not to step into the mosque or there would be violence, all 500 Muslims of the village, their leaders said, have now decided to move out.Sakatpur village under Saidnagli police station has been simmering over the structure for the past three days. Amroha SP Santosh Mishra told TOI that, according to land records, no mosque existed in the village till 2016, when one Noor Mohammad built a structure. “Over time, it became a mosque and people started gathering there for prayers, to which those from the majority community have objected,“ he said.

After a panchayat on Thursday , the administration announced that local Muslims were not to pray at the mosque. On that evening, according to officials, information was received that RSS-affiliated farmers’ group Bharatiya Kisan Sangh’s (BKS) leaders Sukram Pal Rana and Madan Pal had arrived from Baghpat and had warned the district administration that if the Muslims were not prevented from offering Friday prayers at the mosque, the majority community would convene a mahapanchayat and “declare war“ on the Muslims.

“Rana also threatened that if anyonetried to stop the mob, they would be cut into pieces,“ said SHO of Saidnagli police station Rakesh Kumar Singh. The police have registered an FIR against Rana, Madan Pal and 17 village residents, including 12 unidentitied persons.

Despite the increased presence of police in the village, Muslims of Sakatpur are thinking of leaving.http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/index.aspx?eid=31804&dt=20170528