UP bypolls: Amid violence in Muzaffarnagar, 31.21% voter turnout recorded till 1 pm
Amid reports of minor violence, polling in nine assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh is progressing peacefully with around 31.21% voter turnout till 1 pm.
Eleven Karni Sena men and two dozen unnamed persons have been booked for attempting to prevent Muslim Mehendi artists from applying it to Hindu girls and women.
Two days ago on Hariyali Teej, a video was shared on social media which purportedly showed Karni Sena members going around a market in Muzaffarnagar, asking women not to get Mehendi applied by the Muslim artists.
Karni Sena’s General Secretary, Manoj Saini had said they think Muslim youths “entice Hindu girls and trap them in love jihad on the pretext of applying Mehendi”.
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The Karni Sena also asked shops in Muzaffarnagar to stop employing Muslim Mehendi artists.
On Wednesday night, Karni Sena members targeted Mehendi stall owner, Prakash Chandra, who had employed Muslim artists.
“I had set up a Mehendi stall at MDA Colony and a group of men came up and threw away everything I had and said no stall could be set up at the mandi. They threatened to kill me if I set up shop again without their permission. They abused me verbally and physically,” Chandra said in his complaint to the police.
On the basis of his complaint, Manoj Saini, along with 10 others, and “20-25 unidentified people”, were booked for voluntarily causing hurt, intentional insult to provoke breach of peace, criminal intimidation and mischief causing damage at the New Mandi police station.
They have not been arrested yet.
SP Arpit Vijayvargiya said that an “inquiry is being conducted and action will be taken on the basis of that”.
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