Soon after a Hindu Munnai worker was attacked in Coimbatore, two mosques were attacked by hurling bottles filled with petrol on March 5. Madukkarai Anand, District Secretary of Hindu Munnani, was attacked by some unidentified people, who came on bikes, while he was returning home after participating in a pro-CAA ‘dharna’ in Coimbatore. Hindu Munnani quickly termed the attack on its worker as an organised one incited by DMK, Congress and left parties.
After protests and petitions by the representatives of the Muslim community, by March 13, the city police had made 127 preventive arrests in view of maintaining order in the city.
In this backdrop, came differentiated action from the city police. In two separate acts of violence, one on a Hindu outfit and other on a Muslim place of worship, the police charged the suspects in what can be said, an allegedly discriminatory manner. Initially, on March 19, it was reported that while the sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) were invoked against the Muslims arrested for attack on Hindu outfit functionaries, the same wasn’t done in case of the Hindus suspected of hurling petrol bombs at the mosques. They were only charged under some sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Members of district All Jamaat and Muslim organisation had raised a concern on this and asked the police to treat both incidents on the same footing and not go lenient on any suspect basis their religion.
Today, the city police has appeared to correct this anomaly and booked all four accused under the national Security Act. Reportedly, A Azharuddin (30) from Karumbukadai and S Noor Mohammad (30) from Saramedu were arrested for their alleged involvement in the assault on a Hindu Munnani district secretary M Anand on March 4 near Nanjundapuram in the city.
On the other hand, K Pandi alias Sadaiyandi (41), a member of BJP from Periyasamy and V Akil (23), a member of VHP were arrested for hurling petrol bomb on a mosque at Vedhambal Nagar on March 5.
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