- Title: Fury grows after protest deaths in Indian Muslim neighbourhood
- Date: 27th December 2019
- Summary: MEERUT, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (DECEMBER 24, 2019) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE THE RESIDENCE OF MAN WHOSE FAMILY SAY HE WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY POLICE DURING A PROTEST OVER INDIA'S CITIZENSHIP LAW (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) MOTHER OF MOHSIN, ONE OF THE FIVE MUSLIM MEN WHOSE FAMILIES SAY THEY WERE SHOT AND KILLED BY POLICE, NAFEESA, SAYING: "I had given money to my son to buy fodder for our buffalo. My son had gone to buy fodder for the buffalo. I don't know what happened.... (crying) my child had only gone to get fodder for the buffalo.... what should I do now?" FEMALE RELATIVES OF DECEASED TWO FEMALE RELATIVES OF ONE OF THE DECEASED STANDING WITH THEIR FACES COVERED (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) FATHER OF ASIF, A RICKSHAW PULLER WHOSE FAMILY SAY HE WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY POLICE, IDUL HASAN, SAYING: "My son had gone to drive a rickshaw. He was a battery rickshaw driver. When he was on his way back, I called him as the atmosphere in the city was getting tense and he said he will park the rickshaw and come home. This was the only conversation we had. After that, we heard nothing from him and when he did not call back, we tried calling him. After realising that he was not answering the phone, we started searching for him. Then after ten at night, we came to learn that he was dead. He was shot in the chest." PEOPLE LOOKING DOWN FROM ROOF OF HOUSE (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) BROTHER OF 24-YEAR OLD ALEEM ANSARI, WHOSE FAMILY SAY HE WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY POLICE, MOHAMMED SALAHUDDIN, SAYING: "Sister, there is an atmosphere of fear. Why and how should I trust the government or the police? Just tell me why should I trust them? They were supposed to protect us." PEOPLE GATHERED IN LANE SHOPS WITH SHUTTERS DOWN MEERUT, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (DECEMBER 27, 2019) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF LISARI GATE POLICE STATION (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE (SSP), MEERUT, AJAY KUMAR SAHNI, SAYING: "Whatever is there, whatever was done, whatever rounds were fired to ensure peace, everything has been documented and First Information Reports written. A committee has been set up under the leadership of SSP Crime to look into all those issues and talks are also being held with the family members of the dead. Whatever the legal facts are -- they will be out." POLICE OFFICERS STANDING IN STATION COMPOUND
- Embargoed: 10th January 2020 17:09
- Keywords: Citizenship Amendment law India Meerut Muslims Narendra Modi Police Protests New Delhi Uttar Pradesh Violence relatives
- Location: MEERUT, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA
- City: MEERUT, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA
- Country: India
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA001BBR22IV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: QUALITY AS INCOMING
As unrest over a controversial citizenship law sweeps India, the killing of five Muslim men last week marked the most intense burst of violence seen since the law was adopted.
All of the families of the five dead men say they were shot and killed by police as a protest flared against the new law. Reuters could not independently verify those accounts, and none of the more than 20 individuals Reuters interviewed saw police open fire.
Police say they used baton charges and teargas, and opened fire to control the crowd but did not kill anyone.
Police add that the men must have been killed by violent armed protesters whose shots went astray. An investigation into the violence is under way.
The clashes on December 20 erupted around Lisari Gate after Friday afternoon's Muslim prayers.
Relatives of the men who died that day said the men were either out for work or prayers, or had just returned home when they were hit by gunfire.
Among them was Mohammed Mohsin whose family say he was buying fodder for cattle.
Asif, a tyre mechanic, had stepped out to fix tyres at someone's home. Another man called Asif, a rickshaw-driver, was returning home after prayers. Aleem Ansari had gone to the restaurant where he worked making rotis, the Indian bread.
Zaheer Ahmed had just returned home from work and stepped out for a smoke before lunch.
Thousands of people have taken to streets demanding the government rescind the Citizenship Amendment Act enacted by parliament on December 11.
It gives minorities who migrated from three neighbouring countries a path to citizenship, except for Muslims. Critics say it is an attack on India's secular foundations.
"There is an atmosphere of fear. Why and how should I trust the government or the police," said Ansari's brother Mohammed. "Just tell me why should I trust them? They were supposed to protect us."
Ajay Kumar Sahni, a senior police super superintendent told Reuters on Friday (December 27) that any rounds that were fired were to "ensure peace" and that a committee had been set up to investigate the incident.
Police have cracked down on the demonstrations that have spread across India, but Uttar Pradesh state, where Meerut is located, has seen the worst violence. At least 19 of 25 deaths have taken place there. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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