Staff NewsPrism
NEW DELHI-Following the communal violence in Mewat, questions have arisen regarding the conduct of police personnel, who stand accused of taking unilateral actions, including alleged abductions of Muslim youths from their homes during the night. As these youths are now being released from police custody, they are recounting harrowing tales of police abuse and unjust treatment.
In the aftermath of the communal violence in Noh, Haryana on July 31, 2023, approximately 420 individuals, including Manfid Khan, a milk seller near the Nalhareshwar temple in Nalhar, were arrested by the police.
Manfid Khan, arrested ten days after the violence while returning home from Rajasthan, has made serious allegations against the police, claiming that he was blindfolded and shot in the leg by the policemen. Released on bail, Manfid Khan shared his ordeal, stating that after spending a night in jail, he was taken by the police to a hill at 5 am the next day. He recounts being blindfolded, placed in a car, and driven to the hill, where a policeman handed him a pistol and coerced him into firing a shot. Subsequently, he was shot in the leg while lying on the ground. The bullet remains lodged in his leg.
According to a report from daily Bhaskar, Manfid Khan spent a month in the jail hospital, enduring derogatory remarks from jail and hospital staff who labeled him a terrorist and a Pakistani. Despite being released, Manfid has closed his business and faces numerous challenges, including unemployment. He continues to walk with a limp due to the lingering effects of the bullet wound in his leg.
The allegations of police misconduct and the accounts of victims shed light on the need for a thorough and impartial investigation into the actions taken during and after the communal violence in Mewat.