Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh: On August 11, a mob comprising members of Hindu organisations and BJP supporters stormed the tomb of Nawab Abdul Samad in Fatehpur, claiming it to be a temple. In full view of the police, the crowd destroyed graves inside the monument and hoisted a saffron flag. The incident has sparked outrage, with police registering cases against 10 identified individuals and 150 unidentified rioters. However, the name of BJP district president Mukhlal Pal, who allegedly incited the mob and threatened the police, is missing from the FIR.
A video of the incident has gone viral on social media. It purportedly shows Mukhlal Pal threatening the Fatehpur SP over the phone, daring the police to open fire. “If you have the courage, fire a bullet. This is not Mulayam Singh’s government that will let you shoot,” Pal is heard saying. Despite the visual evidence, his name is absent from the registered complaint.
Police have booked the following individuals: Dharmendra Singh (Bajrang Dal), Abhishek Shukla (BJP Mandal Prabhari), Ajay Singh (District Panchayat Member), Devanath Dhakad (BJP leader), Vinay Tiwari (Councillor), Pushparaj Patel (District General Secretary), Ritik Pal (son of Councillor, BJP Yuva Morcha leader), Prashoon Tiwari (Yuva Morcha General Secretary), Pappu Singh Chauhan (Samajwadi Party), and Ashish Tripathi.
According to reports, the mob broke through police barricades before entering the tomb complex. Claiming the site was a temple, they staged loud demonstrations and vandalised the grave inside. During the chaos, police and administrative officials remained passive observers as the violence unfolded.
