Residents of shanties near Guldhar railway station in Ghaziabad are doubtful that their Muslim neighbors will ever return. This follows a violent incident on July 9, when several Muslim families were reportedly attacked by members of the Hindu Raksha Dal, a right-wing organization, who accused them of being illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
Shyama Devi, who lives in the area, expressed her concern: “A group of men armed with sticks arrived, attacking the Muslim families. They didn’t spare even the elderly. Everyone fled, and we have no idea where they went. I don’t think they’ll come back—they’re too scared. Their homes were destroyed, and even their belongings were set on fire. They had been living here for four to five years, selling carpets, but now everything they owned is gone, and even their pet chickens were killed in the attack.”
Ghaziabad police have clarified that the families targeted were not from Bangladesh but were originally from Shahjahanpur district in Uttar Pradesh. Despite this, the area where their shanties once stood is now a barren plot, with all signs of their presence erased.
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Residents described the destruction: “There were about 75-100 shanties here, but now only Hindus remain. The Muslim families have all fled. We used to live together peacefully, but after this, I doubt they’ll ever return,” said Anglesh Kumar, a 25-year-old scrap collector.
The police registered a First Information Report (FIR) on July 10 against Hindu Raksha Dal leader Pinky Chaudhary and 15-20 of his followers. Chaudhary and an associate, Badal Singh, were arrested that night and were later remanded in judicial custody. The FIR was later updated to include charges of using fire or explosives to destroy property.
According to the FIR, the attack occurred in the presence of the police. The chief of Hindu Raksha Dal, along with 15-20 others, attacked and damaged the shanties of Muslims, accusing them of being Bangladeshis. Despite our attempts to reason with them, they continued their assault and raised slogans,” the police report stated.
The police believe that the testimonies of the victims, particularly the women, will be crucial in prosecuting the suspects. However, the victims remain unaccounted for.
“We’ve identified some of the families and initially conducted medical examinations on two individuals. We are working on tracing the others to record their statements and further our investigation. More charges may be added as evidence emerges,” said Abhishek Srivastava, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Kavinagar.
