Another Shaheen Bagh, another foiled encounter in Delhi

By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,

New Delhi: About 20 days after the foiled kidnapping by Noida Police of a Muslim youth in Jamia Nagar’s Shaheen Bagh area, the Haryana Police in broad daylight on November 8 tried to do a Shaheen Bagh in Malviya Nagar but again they had to face public resistance and flee the scene in ‘local police cover.’

It was around 3:30 pm yesterday when everything was normal in Hauz Rani Gaon area under Delhi’s Malviya Nagar Police Station. Imran, 28, was at his shop Gauri Motors. A white color Bolero jeep with blue beacon light atop but with no number plate came to the shop. Six armed men, who later turned out to be policemen from Vallabh Garh in Haryana, came out and dragged Imran into the van. He cried for help, local residents gathered and asked the ‘kidnappers’ to show their ID if they are policemen but they threatened them to kill. Yet the locals including women braved their threat and did not allow them to pick the youth. The local police came and took the Haryana Police to Malviya Nagar Police Station. After some time they were released.

In a similar incident on October 16, some Noida policemen, in civilian dress and in a car with no number plate, had tried to pick a youth from Shaheen Bagh area but the timely and brave resistance of locals saved the life of the man.

Locals say that the policemen had some sinister plan to kill the youth in a fake encounter and declare him as terrorist. They said Imran has no criminal background.

Imran’s elder brother Haji Quresh told TwoCircles.net: “I fear if they had picked my brother they would have killed him in a fake encounter and declared him terrorist.” When the locals asked the policemen to show their ID as they were in civilian dress and in a van with no number plate, they took out their arms and threatened them to kill.

“They dragged my brother on the road and hit him with rifle butt. They also put some women resisting their attempt to pick him at pointblank. However, locals including women braved their threat and stopped their vehicle from moving,” said Haji Quresh.

Imran is in shock and fear. He was not gathering courage to face the camera. Talking to TCN on phone he said: “They came up to the shop and asked about Imran. They said they wanted to give him wedding card. When I said I am Imran they said they wanted to buy meat. I said I do not do that business. I have this shop. I do sale-purchase of cars. But they began dragging me. I got frightened. I fled but they soon caught hold of me and took out revolver. They threatened me to kill.”

When he asked them about his fault they said “you should be killed” recalled Imran. They took him to the van and asked him if he knew the man sitting inside. “I said I do not know him” said Imran adding that the man sitting inside also denied he knew. Soon the locals gathered and resisted the policemen to pick him.

The local residents called local police. They came and assured them of action against those who wanted to pick the youth. They took them in their custody and drove to the Malviya Nagar Police Station. The people alleged that once the policemen at the station they took side of the Haryana policemen and released them some time later.

Haji Quresh has filed a complaint with the local police.