After Muslim meat traders sought protection, Hindu group members vandalize shops, thrash employees

Gurugram: After Muslims meat traders were threatened of consequences by SHSS, the group not only took out rally in the region without permission but, has also beaten up meat shop employee in Sector 14 of Gurugram.

According to reports, four members belonging to Sanyukt Hindu Sangharsh Samiti (SHSS) Gurugram, which represents 22 Hindu groups such as the Shiv Sena, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and the Hindu Senaa had attacked a meat shop employee named Mahinder during the protest rally which was later followed by their immediate arrests by the Police, First post reported.

Police commissioner KK Roa had earlier stated that he would not allow anybody or any group to disrupt peace in the city. Responding to the arrests made, the top officer said: “Even today, we filed an FIR and arrested four people (who caused trouble).”

The Gurugram police spokesperson confirmed the arrests. He said an FIR was filed at the Sector 14 police station under IPC sections for assault, criminal intimidation, and rioting against the four accused after the incident took place in Sanjay Gram Colony in Sector 13. The four were later released on bail

Narrating the incident, 45-year-old victim Mahinder said: I was standing outside the shop when the rally passed by. Suddenly, about four people rushed into the shop and asked me why the shop was open. Then they asked me to close the shop and started beating me.

The Sanyukt Hindu Sangharsh Samiti (SHSS) Gurugram had yesterday declared that they will forcefully close meat shops along the way during the rally organized on the first day of Navratri.

The SHSS group had also submitted a written letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Police Vinay Pratap Singh on Tuesday demanding the closure of meat shops during Navratri “…else Shiv Sena would forcefully close them (meat shops) and the shopkeeper would be responsible for his loss…”

“We found the meat shops open for business. We slapped the owners a couple of times,” Rajeev Mittal, SHSS member said on Wednesday.

He also said that SHSS group had divided the city into 10 zones and ten teams each consisting of 25-30 members to monitor and make sure none of the meat shops in the city remain open.

The rally of SHSS members, on motorcycles and foot, started from Sheetla Mata Mandir in Sector 5 and ended at a market near Jama Masjid in Sadar Bazar passing through CRPF Chowk and Bus Stand.

When asked why the SHSS was allowed to take out a rally despite the written threats, KK Rao, Gurugram police commissioner said, “Anyone can say anything, but I would never allow anyone to do anything to hamper the law and order situation of the city. Today also when there was a problem, we filed an FIR and arrested four people.”

He further stated that the group has not taken permission for the rally.
Not only, meat shops were closed but 3 dhaba owners near the CRPF Camp Chowk close to Sheetla Mata Mandi said their outlets were forcefully closed down by the people who were part of the SHSS rally, and one of them alleged that his employer was beaten up.

“We have not received any such complaint. We will take action if anyone comes forward,” Rao said responded to the news.

The SHSS rally was accompanied by at least one PCR van, multiple eyewitnesses state. The police also said that most of the rally was video-recorded and action would be taken against troublemakers.

Another Dhaba owner who serves pure vegetarian food but is a Muslim was beaten up. Owner Mohammad Hamid aged 28 said: “They slapped a 48-year-old man multiple times, poured water into a chulha used for making rotis, threatened to put the shop on fire, if it was reopened.”

Pointing to two vessels inside his kitchen, Hamid said, “This is 50kg of dough and that is the vegetable I had made for the day. Everything is wasted. I have to pay ₹1,100 as daily rent and I have six workers. My loss today is more than ₹7,000.”

Meanwhile, Gautam Saini, district president of the Shiv Sena, said, “It might have happened accidentally, I don’t know. We had asked the boys to only close dhabas selling non-vegetarian food,” while Mittal denied that any dhaba was vandalized or worker was beaten.