An old Hindu man from Mehrauli, a Muslim-dominated village in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, filed a complaint against a few Muslim teenagers in the area, alleging they of threatening him with severe consequences if he did not join Islam. He also claimed the accused broke into his home and beat him. They trashed his residence and threatened him with death if he did not convert to Islam.
Tahir, Tarif, Aashi, Amir, Idrish, Gunna, Amir, Amsar, Babbu, Shabbir, and Sagan were identified as defendants by Tejram, 60. The victim went on to say that the Kosi Kalan police and local authorities were following the accused’s commands and that his request was being rejected because of their power and intimidation.
Tejram’s claim led Mathura Police to investigate. He and a few other Hindus purchased government lands in the region 18 years ago. Tahir, Tarif, Aashi, Amir, Idrish, Gunna, Amir, Amsar, Babbu, Shabbir, and Sagan, all from the same hamlet, had entered their plots a few days earlier and chopped down the trees. Furthermore, they penetrated the boundary fencing of another Hindu guy from the same hamlet named Godharan’s farm and united it with their own. Tejram filed a complaint with the police and local authorities following both incidents against these Muslim teenagers.
Tejram further alleged that the accused had political and religious animosity toward him. On the evening of July 23, 2022, the Muslim youths barged into his house and started abusing him. They threatened him by saying “you can achieve nothing by complaining to the police or the local authorities”. They then ransacked and vandalized his home. When Tejram resented they started brutally thrashing him up.
According to Tejram, the assailants said, “This is our village…if you want to stay here you’ll have to stay as per our whims. We Muslims make up 90% of the village population. If you irk us you will have to wash your hands off your life and property/land. Embrace our religion or leave this village.”
Tejram, when asked about the predicament of Hindus in the village, stated that he is not the first to endure such harassment. Other Hindu inhabitants of the hamlet have previously been intimidated and mistreated. But no one has ever spoken forward since they are all frightened of the accused. Tejram further alleged that the accused had guns and have connections with the local mafia. He further stated that it is suspected that the accused has control over the Kosi Kalan police and revenue agency workers. As a result, his criticism went unnoticed the whole time.
