On the eve of the Ram Mandir inauguration in Ayodhya, Mumbai’s Mira Road witnessed an unsettling turn of events on the night of January 21 as clashes broke out between Hindu and Muslim communities, leading to numerous FIRs and over 23 arrests across the city. The precise cause of the communal clash remains uncertain but factors such as provocative slogans, rampant rumours, and an unexpected absence of local police presence are suspected to be responsible for the upheaval in Naya Nagar, a suburb of Mira Road.

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How the events unfolded:

The unrest began with a procession of vehicles, including modified bikes adorned with saffron flags, passing Taini Villa Masjid and Mohammed Masjid on Lodha Road. The bikers, shouting religious slogans and using modified silencers that emitted a sound reminiscent of gunfire, triggered panic among locals, reports The Indian Express.

Shaukat Ali, a 52-year-old taxi driver who witnessed the incident, claimed that the bikers were “shouting religious slogans”. Some of the bikes had modified silencers which emitted a sound that many felt was like a gun being fired, he added in conversation with IE.” A few locals rushed to see if bullets were being fired towards the masjid, and that led to panic with the bikers trying to escape. One of the bikers bumped into a bystander leading to a fight.”

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The incident escalated as locals assaulted members of the procession, and a woman who was part of the procession was also injured. “In the heat of things, one vehicle which was part of the procession, in a bid to escape, turned into a lane which had a mosque on it. The lane is a dead-end, and locals felt that the people in the car had come with some ulterior motive, which again led to violence,” Ali explained.

Police confirmed the sequence of events, and tensions escalated when a scuffle broke out after a biker collided with a bystander. A case was registered based on a complaint by car driver Vinod Babulal Jaiswal, with individuals booked for attempted murder.

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An investigating officer mentioned that Jaiswal, a Bhayander resident, claimed to be touring the area. While a case is filed against those who assaulted him, there is an ongoing probe into why Jaiswal entered Naya Nagar carrying saffron flags and shouting slogans.

The situation worsened as a video of the initial assault circulated in Mira Road, leading to violence in various parts of the suburb. In the viral videos, Islamists were seen attacking the Hindu community raising saffron flags and chanting ‘Jai Shree Ram’. Subsequently, vehicles were attacked, windows were broken, and verbal abuse, including the scratching of Lord Hanuman stickers off car bumpers, took place.

Naya Nagar, Kashi Mira, Navghar Bhayander, and Pelhar police stations filed at least 12 FIRs, resulting in nearly 23 arrests, with the possibility of more. The police identified 52 objectionable and inflammatory social media posts, took down 20, and are actively working on removing others. Two FIRs pertain to posting and spreading objectionable content on social media.

‘Accountability in question’

Locals, pointing fingers at the local police, claim that the initial unpreparedness of law enforcement exacerbated the situation in Naya Nagar. The Naya Nagar police chowki, located a stone’s throw away from the outbreak of violence, reportedly lacked sufficient manpower.

A senior police officer acknowledged that anticipating the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya, security concerns were identified, especially in areas with a high Muslim population. However, the police failed to deploy adequate security in the area. The officer admitted that intensified patrolling could have potentially prevented the initial incident and its subsequent escalation. The police also faced challenges from politicians questioning their actions, with concerns about the use of force during rallies.

Four incidents, One FIR

The Kashi Mira Road police station took action on Tuesday night by filing an FIR against 15 individuals and arresting four persons. The police consolidated four separate incidents of violence into one FIR. In response to a complaint by Kashimira resident Nadeem Sortiya, a manager at Kareem’s hotel, the police arrested Ganesh Gupta, Sumit Savita, Saurav Koli, Bhavesh Kaya, and 11 others.

In the aftermath of the incident, the police implemented barricades at key entry and exit points in various locations, particularly those with a high Muslim population. Simultaneously, Mira Road MLA Geeta Jain stirred controversy by stating that the Hindu community needed only five minutes to showcase its power.

‘Bulldozer action in Nayanagar’

Days following the incident, videos showing the demolition of stalls gained widespread attention on social media. Bulldozers were deployed to dismantle illegal structures and encroachments in the Naya Nagar area of Mira Road, where stone-pelting marred the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha celebrations. In compliance with directives from the Maharashtra government, the Municipal Corporation, with the assistance of the police, undertook this action.