A mob of 60–70 people stormed the home of a Muslim family with a history of Army service, accusing them of being illegal ‘Bangladeshi’ migrants.
The family was taken to the police station at midnight and told to prove their citizenship.
Family members allege plainclothes police supported the mob and ignored valid identification documents.
A mob of nearly 70 individuals allegedly supported by plainclothes police officers, forcibly entered the Pune home of a Muslim Kargil War veteran’s family, accusing them of being ‘Bangladeshis’, and demanding proof of citizenship. The family of Hakimuddin Shaikh, a retired soldier from UP, who fought in the 1999 Kargil war alleged on Tuesday that a mob, affiliated to a Hindutva outfit, arrived at their home demanding documents. The male members were taken to the police station in the middle of the night on July 26.
Family members say they were woken by knocking and kicking at their door before groups of unknown individuals barged in and began searching rooms, waking women and children, and demanding ID cards.
Irshad Sheikh (48), Hakimuddin’s brother, told PTI, “Our great-grandfather was a hawaldar, our grandfather a subedar, and his brother a DGP in Madhya Pradesh. My uncle Md Salim joined the Army in 1968 and fought in the 1971 war. My brother Hakimuddin joined in 1982, served in Kargil, and retired in 2000.”
According to Sheikh, the family, originally from Pratapgarh, has lived in Pune since 1961, and he himself has been a resident since 1996.
Another family member, Shamshad Sheikh told PTI, “On Saturday midnight, around 80 people suddenly came to our house and began banging on the door. When we opened it, some of them barged in and started demanding Aadhaar cards of the family members. When we showed the documents, they termed them as fake and asked the women and children to produce Aadhaar cards”. He said that they were then taken to the police station in a police van where they were told by Inspector Seema Dhakne that they must report back the next morning or they would be declared ‘Bangladeshis’.
He added that they visited the police station again the next day.
If there were any discrepancies in the documents, the police would have taken a coercive action, he said.
"But since all our documents are genuine, they are now asking us to stay quiet," he claimed, adding that he told the officers they could provide a proof of their Indian citizenship dating back to 400 years.
Reportedly, the family in question has multiple generations of Army veterans, including men who fought in the 1965, 1971, and Kargil Wars. Photographs of Army IDs and pension records were shared with the media to support their claims.
DCP Somay Munde confirmed that a combing operation was conducted based on a tip-off alleging that illegal ‘Bangladeshi’ migrants were staying in the neighborhood. He stated that while some residents were taken for questioning, no confirmation of illegal status was found, and investigations are ongoing. Munde also noted that the family alleges Bajrang Dal members led the intrusion, a claim now under police review, as per The Indian Express.
“The information was that some individuals may be from Assam” said Munde as quoted by The Indian Express. As of now, this has not been found to be true.
Working President of the NCP, Pradeep Deshmukh condemned the incident, “No one should take law into their own hands. The people should have trusted the police department instead of entering the house of the family at midnight. The family does not deserve this treatment and it is wrong if a family is ill-treated for belonging to a separate community,” as quoted by The Indian Express.
He also added that police officers who were complicit or inactive during the incident should face accountability, and mob participants must be booked if the family's complaint is verified.
Meanwhile, Dambale, president of the National Conference for Minority, said the Hindutva outfit members tried to terrorise the war veteran's family members.
"We have sought registration of an FIR in this connection. We will meet Pune Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar to demand action," he said, reported PTI.
