Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested 12 people for their alleged involvement in a clash following the molestation of Dalit girls and booked them under the National Security Act, officials said on Saturday, prompting BSP chief Mayawati to praise the BJP-led state government.
The situation following the clash between a group of Muslims and Dalits in Sikandarpur Aima village in Azamgarh district earlier in the week is tense but under control, officials said.
The arrests took place on Friday.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the incident and directed that the 12 be arrested under the stringent NSA, the officials said.
Under NSA, a person can be detained without charge for up to 12 months if authorities are satisfied they are a threat to national security or law and order.
The SHO of the Maharajganj Police Station under which Sikandarpur Aima village falls has also been suspended.
According to police, the incident took place on Wednesday evening when some girls from the Dalit community were molested near the village tubewell.
"When residents of the Dalit locality resisted, they were attacked with sharp-edged weapons and sticks,” Azamgarh Superintendent of Police Triveni Singh said, adding that the complaint named 19 men and seven were absconding.
The action initiated by the chief minister in the case is better late than never, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati said on Twitter.
“This is good. But it would be better if similar action was initiated in cases pertaining to sisters and daughters in the future as well," she said.
"The molestation of any Dalit girl or those from any other religion and caste, be it from Azamgarh, Kanpur or any other district, must be condemned," she added in another tweet.
The 12 men arrested are Ammar, Faiyaz, Ali Ahmed, Mohd Arsalan, Mohd Arshad, Ehsan, Khursheed, Naushad, Lukman, Arif, Shahid and Akram.
Police officials had earlier given another list of names.
“Of them, 12 have been arrested and action is being initiated against them under the NSA,” Singh added.
A cash reward of Rs 25,000 has been announced for information on the absconding accused, he said.
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