On 3rd January, a 12-year-old Madrassa student named Huzaifa Imtiyaz, a resident of the Mecca masjid area in Hindpiri was allegedly beaten by police.
Imtiyaz was forcefully grabbed, and taken inside the police station, where he suffered physical assault and verbal abuse at the hands of two police officials. The officers have been identified as Sub-inspector (SI) Ajay Kumar and Doctor Ajay of Hindpiri Thana, News Express reported on January 1.
While talking about the incident Imityaz said, “I and some 8-9 boys were on our way towards the lake area as we were instructed at the masjid to attend a Quran Khwaani ceremony at a funeral. The Hindpiri police station is within the route. We were talking, and I casually asked my friends to behave as maamu log (lingo for police officials) reside here. Suddenly, a man confronted us and started to hurl abuses, and shouted ‘Whom did you call maamu?’ He then grabbed me by my neck, taking me inside the police station.”
Imtiyaz alleged that Kumar (SI) grabbed and lifted him by force by his neck and thrashed him, while the second official Ajay, verbally abused him.
“A senior student along with us pleaded with the officers to let me go. He tried to talk to them, explaining how I was just a child, and abusing and beating me up for no reason was wrong. He also said that I apologised multiple times, even though it was not the same police officer whom I referred to as maamu,” said Imtiyaz.
Imtiyaz also said that when his senior tried to intervene, the police officer assaulted him, causing injury to his forehead.
Huzaifa stated that he and his friends were repeatedly called terrorists by the police officers.
“They kept saying how all topi (skull cap) wearers are terrorists and resorted to verbally abusing us. Then a Hindu man came from a nearby area and instigated the officers to thrash us more, he also verbally abused us,” said Imtiyaz.
The host who invited the Madarsa students for the Quran Khwaani ceremony alleged mistreatment by the police officials.
“Two women were in the same alley as the police station who witnessed the incident and informed me how the boys were standing in the police station. Upon reaching the station, I explained that I had invited the boys for a Quran Khwaani ceremony at my father’s funeral. I questioned why they were getting thrashed. Suddenly, one officer grabbed my collar, pushed, and verbally abused me along with others present,” said the host.
The host, highlighting his 20-year tenure as a member of the locality’s peace committee, lamented about the misbehaviour of the officers who kept verbally bashing the members of the Madrassa.
Another man present at the scene alleged, “All the members of the Madrassa are terrorists, that man Ajay Kumar has said this. Another inspector named Anil also said that all these skull cap wearers are terrorists.”
The locals intend to register a First Information Report (FIR) against the police officials involved and plan to submit it to the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). They additionally have decided to forward an application to senior officers urging them to suspend the perpetrators of this incident.
