Politicians flood Muzaffarnagar, as father of child beaten for being Muslim says he wants justice as he is scared for his life

In a recent development, the Uttar Pradesh Police have registered an FIR against Mohammad Zubair, the Co-founder of Alt News. The charges are based on the accusation about Zubair’s alleged disclosure of the identity of a minor Muslim student who was subjected to abuse by a teacher in a Muzaffarnagar school, reported NDTV.

Dates 28th August, the FIR specifically names Mohammad Zubair as the accused party responsible for exposing the identity of the minor involved in the distressing case. However, this move by the police has sparked widespread outrage among social media users. Many argue that Zubair’s actions had a pivotal role in bringing the incident to the attention of the authorities, and thus his targeting by law enforcement raises concerns over his work as a journalist being unfairly targeted.

In response to the controversy, Zubair had earlier taken to X, formerly Twitter, to explain his actions. In a post dated August 25, he clarified that he had removed the video from circulation as per the request of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).

The shocking incident that has gathered widespread condemnation across the nation after, a distressing video surfaced from a school, capturing a teacher instructing students to physically assault a fellow 6-year old boy, sees further developments in the village of Khabbapur, Muzaffarnagar. The victim, a visibly shaken Muslim child, reportedly endured a series of slaps and physical blows from his peers. The teacher, identified as Tripta Tyagi, is seen in the video to have orchestrated this shocking display as a form of punishment, reportedly instructing the class to take part and chastising those whose hits were not hard enough on young child. The incident has triggered outrage and demands for justice as well as raising questions about the school’s affiliation and the role of the authorities in overseeing such matters.

The nationwide outcry prompted the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to intervene. Priyank Kanoongo, the chairperson of NCPCR, stated that notices have been issued to both the District Magistrate and the Superintendent of Police of Muzaffarnagar.

“We have directed the SP to register an FIR in this matter and give us a report,” Kanoongo emphasized. Furthermore, the district magistrate has been tasked with investigating the school’s certification, the qualifications of its teachers, and the circumstances leading up to this distressing incident.

In addition, the police has registered an FIR under IPC Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) against Tyagi.

In the wake of the incident, farmer leaders and politicians alike have rallied to the houses of the victim and the accused. Figures such as BJP politician and Union Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Sanjeev Balyan, farmer leader Naresh Tikait and other Samajwadi Party other leaders have been reported to have visited the village. It is to be of note that Balyan is a two-time MP from Muzaffarnagar who has been accused in 2013 Muzaffarnager violence. Balyan has stated about recent instance saying that “this issue is forcibly been given a ‘communal colour’. We have sorted it in between us.”

He also reportedly visited the house of the accused, Tripta Tyagi and reassured her in media presence.

The young victim’s father has expressed his anguish and hope for justice for his son, who reportedly continues to suffer emotionally following the incident. “We want justice. We can’t go anywhere. Where will we go? If we don’t get justice, we will die,” he spoke to the Print’s Jyoti Yadav. The parents of the child have also informed the media that the boy has not been able to sleep since the incidence.

Amid the escalating furor, Muzaffarnagar Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) Shubham Shukla has disclosed that Neha Public School, where the incident occurred, is currently under scrutiny regarding its affiliation. Shukla clarified that the school is not being closed down but rather undergoing a review process. The school has been given a month to address the affiliation issue and fulfil the requisite certification criteria.

Furthermore, according to PTI, the education department has outlined plans to facilitate the admission of the affected students to a government primary school, should their parents’ consent to the transfer. This move has been designed to alleviate any additional burden on the parents and ensure the children’s education continues in a safe and supportive environment as their earlier school has been shut subject to approval of its affiliation.

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