Two persons have been arrested for allegedly forcing meat shops owners to close their establishments on the occasion of Navratri and threatening to kill those not adhering to their diktat, the police said on Sunday.
Armed with swords
The accused along with more than two dozen people, armed with sticks and swords, had forced the meat shop owners in Dundahera along the Delhi-Gurugram border to shut their shops on April 6, the first day of the nine-day festival.
The two persons arrested in this connection are Rajesh and Pramod, both residents of Dundahera.
A case was registered on charges of rioting, unlawful assembly and criminal intimidation under the Indian Penal Code and various sections under the Arms Act at Udhyog Vihar police station in this connection on Sunday.
“The accused would be produced before the court on Monday and taken on police remand. More arrests are likely in the case. The matter is under investigation,” said Gurugram police spokesperson Subhash Boken.
Banners of Hindu Sena
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Udyog Vihar, Birem Singh Poswal, said the accused were displaying banners of “Hindu Sena” at the time of incident.
Sanyukt Hindu Sangharsh Samiti convener Mahavir Bhardwaj said they had nothing to do with the incident.
“None of the Hindu outfits, which is member of the Samiti was involved in the incident,” said Mr. Bhardwaj. He said the Samiti members had met Deputy Commissioner Amit Khatri and Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) Yashpal Yadav in the run-up to the Navratri festival and demanded that the illegal meat shops in the city be shut down.
‘MCG started drive’
“Acting on our memorandum, the Municipal Corporation has already started the drive to challan the illegal meat shops and ensure their closure. We also made an appeal to the association of the meat shop owners to keep their shops shut during Navratri and they have promised to cooperate,” said Mr. Bhardwaj.
During Navratri, the Hindu outfits demand the closure of meat shops in the city, mostly run by the Muslims.
On a few occasions the activists have also been accused of using force.
The Muslim meat shop owners allege that they are forced to close their shops against their will.