Cops lodge FIR against Ramgarh protesters

Ramgarh: Police have lodged an FIR against nine named persons and 1,000 unknown others in connection with the anti-mob lynching protest gathering in Chittarpur on Monday. The gathering was in defiance of the district administration’s prohibitory orders imposed under Section 144 of the CrPC. Among those named in the FIR included All India Congress Committee (AICC) member Sahjada Anwar and Rafique Anwar, general secretary of BJP’s ally — Ajsu-P, police said on Tuesday.

DSP (headquarters) Prakash Soy said, “So far nine persons have been named, including AICC member Sahjada Anwar and Ajsu-P’s general secretary Rafique Anwar. We are trying to identify more culprits.”

Ramgarh SDO Anant Kumar reiterated that the administration never gave any permission to the the outfit concerned, Mutheda Muslim Mahaj, to take out any kind of procession or gathering, citing law and order concerns in view of recent unrest during similar events in other parts of the country.

“But still they defied the orders. Hence, action is being taken as per provisions in the law,” Kumar said.

AICC member Sahjada Anwar and one of the organisers of Monday’s gathering, however, said they didn’t violate any order. “Obeying SDO’s orders, we didn’t take out any procession or rally. As far as the gathering is concerned, it was just a peaceful meeting as we had already informed the administration during our meeting with them on Sunday evening that we will be going ahead with it. A peaceful meeting held in a constitutional manner shouldn’t be seen as defiance of prohibitory orders,” he said.