Cow vigilantes have no place in India: Modi govt tells Supreme Court

It has been 33 years since the night of 22 May, 1987 when nearly 50 Muslim men from Hashimpura, a settlement in Meerut were rounded up and packed into the rear of a truck of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), an armed police of Uttar Pradesh. It was the blessed month of Ramadan and all the Muslims were fasting.

That night 42 of those on board the truck were killed in two massacres in neighbouring Ghaziabad district. One along the Upper Ganga canal near Muradnagar, the other along the Hindon canal in Makanpur, on the border with Delhi.

The cops had returned home after dumping the dead bodies into the canal. A few days later, the dead bodies were found floating in the canal and a case of murder was registered. 

Vir Bahadur Singh was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and Rajiv Gandhi was the prime minister of India when this incident took place. 

Not much has changed for the survivors and the relatives of the victims even today. The wounds are still fresh. Hashimpura remains devoid of basic municipal amenities, the erring silence on the narrow lanes of the locality amid the activities of a daily life speaks of the horror of the fateful day in 1987.

The massacre was the result of one among the many outcomes of the decision taken by the Rajiv Gandhi government to open the locks of Babri Masjid. After a month of rioting, the situation was tense in various parts of Meerut, and a lot spilled over in the nearby areas.

Timeline

May 22, 1987

Nearly 50 Muslims picked up by the PAC personnel from Hashimpura village in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.
Victims later shot and bodies thrown into a canal. 42 persons declared dead.

1988

UP government orders CB-CID probe in the case.

February 1994

CB-CID submits inquiry report indicting over 60 PAC and police personnel of all ranks.

May 20, 1996

Charge sheet filed against 19 accused before Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ghaziabad by CB-CID of Uttar Pradesh police. 161 people listed as witnesses.

September 2002

Case transferred to Delhi by the Supreme Court on a petition by the families of victims and survivors.

July 2006

Delhi court frames charges of murder, attempt to murder, tampering with evidence and conspiracy under the IPC against 17 accused.

March 8, 2013

Trial court dismisses Subramanian Swamy's plea seeking probe into the alleged role of P Chidambaram, then Minister of State for Home, in the matter.

January 22, 2015

Trial court reserves judgement.

March 21, 2015

Court acquits 16 surviving accused giving them benefit of doubt regarding their identity.

May 18, 2015

Trial court decision challenged in the Delhi HC by the victims' families and eyewitnesses who survived the incident.

May 29, 2015

HC issues notice to the 16 PAC personnel on Uttar Pradesh government's appeal against the trial court verdict.

December 2015

National Human Rights Commission is impleaded in the matter. NHRC also seeks further probe into the massacre.

February 17, 2016

HC tags Swamy's appeal with the other petitions in the matter.

September 6, 2018

Delhi HC reserves verdict in the case.

October 31, 2018

Delhi HC convicts 16 former PAC personnel for life after finding them guilty of the murder of 42 people.

Shivamogga, Jan 2: A large number of farmers who wanted to stage a demonstration against Prime Minister Narendra Modi protesting the non-implementation of the 'Swaminathan Report' were detained at Bengaluru, Tumakuru and Shivamogga, police said on Thursday.

According to police, the detentions have taken place in certain parts of Tumakuru, near Bengaluru as well as in Shivamogga.

As part of his two-day visit to Karnataka, Modi is scheduled to visit Tumakuru on Thursday to pay his obeisance to the departed seer of Siddaganga Math Shivakumara Swamiji and meet the present pontiff Siddalinga Mahaswamiji.

Later, he would address a mega public meeting where he will give away the Krishi Karman awards.

In the evening he will reach Bengaluru to visit the DRDO facility to dedicate five DRDO Young Scientists Laboratories to the nation.

Pressing implementation of the Swaminathan Report, which recommends a holistic national policy, the farmers under the leadership of Kodihalli Chandrashekar had planned to stage a demonstration at Tumakuru.

Before they could leave for Tumakuru, the police detained them.

According to Chandrashekar, the farmers have been arrested at Nelamangala, Herohalli near Magadi, Kunigal and Koratagere in Tumakuru district and Shivamogga.

Speaking to PTI, Chandrashekar said the BJP has betrayed farmers by not implementing the Swaminathan report.

"The BJP could implement all the agenda such as abrogation of Article 370, paving way for Ram Temple in Ayodhya and various other poll promises but it ignored its promise of implementing the Swaminathan report," the farmer leader said.

Chandrashekar also said he has been detained at a ground on Magadi Road along with two others while farmers who wanted to take part in the protest have been detained in different parts of the state.

Mangaluru, May 24: Muslims across coastal Karnataka today observed Eid Al-Fitr by offering Eid prayers at home instead of mosques and Eidgahs.

For the first time the cities of Mangaluru and Udupi wore a deserted look on the day of Eid. Strict implementation of the lockdown was seen in the both cities. All vehicles except those transporting essentials remained off the roads.

Following the orders of orders of the deputy commissioners of the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi and guidance of religious scholars and Qadhis, Muslims preferred not to venture out of homes on the day of Eid. The 36 hours of complete lockdown which came into force yesterday at 7 p.m. will relaxed tomorrow morning at 7 a.m.

The Eidgah at Light House Hill area of the city and other prominent mosques, where thousands used to gather to offer namaz during festivals, were empty today.

Photos of simple Eid celebrations were share on social media to keep the spirit of festival alive in times of pandemic.

This time Muslims in the region had also decided not to buy any new clothes for Eid. Campaigns were run in the moth of Ramadan to encourage the Muslims to donate the amount of new clothes to the needy instead.

Throughout the month of Ramadan Muslim organisations were distributing food among the stranded migrant labourers in the region.