New Delhi: A month before Kashmiris ‘feeding stray dogs’ event was highlighted, a letter sent by the president of the flat occupants’ association (FOA) to the Prime Minister’s Office on April 2 alleged that the Kashmiri family, who is living in the area for past 10 years was involved in ‘illegal occupations’ and were ‘harbouring terrorists’.
According to a report by The Indian Express, the letter was signed by FOA president SN Pandey states: “We have serious apprehensions that these persons are involved in certain illegal activities viz harbouring of terrorists. They have taken five flats on rent and residents have noticed the movement of suspicious people in the colony at night. Since this whisper started spreading in the colony, the persons started feeding dogs under the garb of animal welfare; they do not allow residents to move in the colony at night.”
Also Read: Delhi Hate Crimes: Kashmiri family beaten for ‘feeding stray dogs’
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Delhi Police maintained that the attacks at Siddhartha Extension’s Kashmiri resident on Thursday night was over ‘feeding dogs’, and not due to family’s Kashmiri identity.
A 40-year-old man along with his three sisters from Srinagar were thrashed by residents. The police arrested four people on Saturday in connection with the incident.
According to the victims, some of the alleged attackers were armed with hockey sticks. They also said that the mob shouted anti-Kashmiri slogans. The matter came to highlight after a video was shared on Facebook by Delhi-based NGO, People for Animals (PFA). The video shows an injured woman on the road, identified as Azra Muzaffar trying to resist attacks of women as well as of men who can be seen surrounding her holding sticks.