New Delhi, June 25: Muslims in Sangam Vihar, South Delhi, have lodged a police complaint after a series of alleged hate speeches in their locality on Sunday. The tensions were sparked by the discovery of cow remains in front of a Hindu temple, leading to protests and threats.
Videos circulating from the protests show confrontations with police officers, with one man, purportedly a BJP leader, heard threatening to kill “1.5 lakh to 2 lakh Muslims in the area” if no action is taken within 48 hours.
“We are taking legal action in the area. A complaint regarding the speech was received on Monday. The man (in the viral video) will be called for questioning… Due procedure will be followed,” a senior police officer from the south district police division said on condition of anonymity.
Although the man seen in the video wore a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sash, police officials and a BJP spokesperson denied any official affiliation. The spokesperson suggested that the individual was seeking notoriety and called for police action per the law.
The police are investigating the authenticity of the video and the circumstances around the cow remains, which a preliminary probe suggested were brought near the temple by a dog. A senior officer mentioned the possibility of foul play intended to incite communal tension.
In their complaint, a local Muslim group described threats and incitement to riots made by members of the BJP in the presence of police. The group urged action to prevent further disharmony.
“We staged a protest as the police did not take any action in the case. We just want to stop illegal cow meat trade in the area. Whoever has killed the cow is trying to incite riots… We want him to be arrested,” said Sagar Parashar, one of the Hindu community protesters.
Senior police officials reported that Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ankit Chauhan engaged with protesters on Sunday to calm the situation. An inquiry is ongoing at the district level to address the incident and restore peace in the community.
