India
Six Youths Face Police Action After Elderly Muslim Man's Skullcap Pulled Off During UP Procession
By Livemint
Police in Etah district, Uttar Pradesh, have taken preventive action against six youths after a video went viral showing an elderly Muslim man allegedly being harassed and having his skullcap removed during a religious procession. The incident occurred last week in the Marhara police station area during a procession marking the birth anniversary of Rani Veerangana Avanti Bai Lodhi.
The viral video shows a group of youths pulling the cap off the elderly man's head, causing him visible distress, before a policeman is seen escorting him away from the scene. In Islam, the skullcap is not obligatory but is considered a Sunnah, a practice with deep spiritual significance rooted in the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad.
After taking suo motu notice of the video, police reviewed the footage and detained six individuals. Preventive proceedings were initiated against them under Sections 170, 126, and 135 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deal with disobeying public servant orders, wrongful restraint, and assault or use of force to wrongfully confine someone.
A separate video circulating online showed the detained youths standing with folded hands at the Marhara police station, apparently offering an apology. However, Circle Officer Sadar Sankalp Deep Kushwaha said he had no information confirming that any of the accused had formally apologized at the station.
The episode sparked anger within the Muslim community, prompting a meeting on September 3 at Chaudhary Matinuzzama Public School, organized in association with Samajwadi Party district president Parvez Zuberi. The meeting was attended by 60 to 70 prominent figures from both communities, including Chaman Prakash, vice-president of the fair committee of the Lodhi Kalyan Mahasabha.
During the meeting, senior members of the Lodhi community formally apologized to the elderly man, presenting him with a cap and garland as a gesture of reconciliation. Representatives of the Lodhi Mahasabha also expressed regret over the incident.
Zuberi credited Chaman Prakash with playing a key role in resolving the dispute, stating that the resolution was reached through mutual consent to preserve communal harmony, with both sides expressing satisfaction with the outcome. He further alleged that the elderly man had been treated inappropriately and that police officers present at the scene had also faced misbehavior. Zuberi noted that the six youths facing police action did not attend the reconciliation meeting.
Attendees also discussed the potential role of loud music from DJ systems in escalating tensions during such events, with some suggesting that loud songs during processions might provoke agitation among participants. The group agreed to consider avoiding DJ systems during future road processions.
The procession had been organized by the All India Lodhi Kalyan Mahasabha. Reports indicate that attendees included Rajveer Singh, also known as Raju Bhaiya and son of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, Marhara MLA Virendra Lodhi, Farrukhabad MP Mukesh Rajput, along with other Lodhi community legislators and leaders.