In a shocking incident, the family of a Kargil war veteran living in Pune has alleged that they were harassed by Hindu right-wing groups and police authorities on the suspicion of being “illegal immigrants.” After much delay, the Pune Police has finally filed an FIR against seven men for barging into their home and calling them “Bangladeshi” and “Rohingya.”
Hakimuddin Shaikh, a retired soldier who fought in the 1999 Kargil War, stated in his complaint that about 80 men barged into his home in Pune’s Chandan Nagar, demanding that the family show their citizenship documents. When the family went to the police station to register their complaint, they were dismissed by the police officials.
According to reports, Shamsaad Shaikh (35), his nephew, wrote an appeal to the police to file a formal complaint against unidentified individuals, including police in plain clothes, who targeted his family and called them “illegal migrants.”
According to the appeal, on July 26, self-proclaimed right-wing activists, including members of the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), barged into the Shaikh family’s house, asking for proof of Indian citizenship and “harassed” them despite the family possessing valid documents, which the attackers called “fake.”
The incident took place late on the night of July 26, when a crowd began kicking the door of their home and shouting, “You have no right to stay, leave the country,” according to the appeal.
“We requested that station police officials book the accused, but it was dismissed. So, we are writing an appeal to file a formal complaint. Due to the incident, the family’s reputation has been tainted, and there is a risk to our lives as photos and videos of family members have gone viral. I request you to provide police protection and file a complaint to investigate the matter,” Shamsaad wrote in the letter.
The mob also demanded that they show documents to prove they were Indian citizens, suspecting them of being “Bangladeshi” or “Rohingya.”
The family, who has been living in Pune for over six decades, had to face harassment for days while the police allegedly failed to do their job and file the complaint.
In the appeal, Irshad Shaikh, Hakimuddin’s brother, who himself served 16 years in the Army’s 269 Engineer Regiment, said, “We told the whole incident to the police, but they refused to acknowledge that anything of this sort had happened, and the FIR is yet to be filed. Is this how you treat a patriotic family who has served in the Indian Army?”
He further said, “Police visited their place, checked documents, and let them go as it was midnight. However, they were brought to the police station for document verification.”
Meanwhile, Shamsaad said the men who barged into their house disrespected and abused them, including the women and children. “When we showed our Aadhaar cards, they called them fake and took us to the police station where we were held till 2 p.m.,” he added.
He also alleged that the police summoned them again on Sunday and threatened to denounce them as Bangladeshis if they did not show up. “Police let us go after taking the Aadhaar cards of at least 20 family members and relatives,” he added.
While the Pune Police claimed they are “verifying the claims,” the FIR was filed on Wednesday.
According to reports, after seeking support from social activists and lawyers, the family met Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar on Wednesday and demanded action against the mob.
“He [Kumar] assured us that stringent action is being taken against anti-social elements,” Irshad Shaikh later told the media.
An FIR has been registered for unlawful assembly.
“On receiving a call about suspected Bangladeshi nationals, police found people raising slogans outside the house,” Kumar said. “The mob’s actions are under scrutiny, and based on fresh statements, more sections may be added or a separate FIR may be filed,” he told the media.
The incident has sparked criticism of the rampant harassment by right-wing groups against the Muslim community in different parts of the country, with a similar pattern of using the “illegal immigrants” angle against Indian nationals.
