Hindu girl endangers her life to save Muslim family from ruthless saffronite mob

Aligarh, Jun 11: The exemplary bravery displayed by a Hindu girl, saved a Muslim family which was attacked by a gang of thugs belonging to a saffron outfit at Jattari area in Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh.

The incident occurred on Sunday when the family members were travelling from Ballabhgarh in Haryana to Aligarh in a van to attend a function. The family’s close friend, Pooja Chauhan, a 24-year-old Hindu girl, was also present in the same van.

Shafi Mohammad Abbasi, one of the seven passengers on board the van, said the goons on motorcycles attacked the van with iron rods.

“They beat me, my daughter who wore a veil and our driver,” Abbasi said, adding that the goons would have killed them if Pooja had not bravely intervened. “Pooja stepped out and boldly confronted the attackers,” he said.

Abbasi said he had known Pooja’s family for 32 years and considers her one of his daughters. “One member from the mob softened his stand after seeing Pooja. He quietly handed us our car keys and asked us to drive away immediately,” Abbasi said.

“The mob attacked us just because they realized that the travellers were from the other community, as some of the women were wearing veils. Such incidents should not happen with anyone,” Pooja was quoted as saying by local media.

Aligarh police has registered an FIR against 10 unidentified people under sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 507 (criminal intimidation) of IPC on a complaint filed by Pooja Chauhan at the Civil Lines police station.

Aligarh SSP Akash Kulhary said police have raided several places, but no suspect has been arrested so far. He said no one will be allowed to take law in their hands. The family managed to reach Aligarh later.