Many Muslims contemplating leaving area; such things happen: BJP leader Mahesh Sharma

LUCKNOW: An uneasy calm prevailed in Bisada village of Gautam Budh Nagar district on Thursday, three days after a resident Mohammed Ikhlaq was killed and his son grievously injured on the suspicion of cow slaughter, and the possibility of similar communal friction elsewhere in the state, including Azamgarh, for polarising the impeding panchayat polls kept the authorities on their toes.

Controversial remarks by BJP leaders, including Union minister Mahesh Sharma dubbing the killings an "accident" continued to add fuel to the fire even as several residents of the village fled fearing further violence and police prosecution. The victim’s family, along with a few other Muslim families of the village, were also quoted by TV news channels as contemplating leaving the area for good. While the deceased Ikhlaq’s son Danish remained hospitalised, his other son Sartaj, who serves in the Indian Army, demanded strict action against the accused. "Those arrested should be given strict punishment so that nobody else dares do it again. I want to know why they did it," said Sartaj.

He said the remaining family members were contemplating moving out of the village as the incident could be repeated in the future. BJP’s V-P for western UP Shrichand Sharma said a maha panchayat has been called in the village on October 11 for seeking action against cow slaughter.

"This was not a communal incident. Hindus worship cow and whose blood would not boil when they see cows being slaughtered. When one’s religious sentiments are hurt such things (killing) happen," Sharma was quoted as saying. Union tourism minister Mahesh Sharma, who represents Noida in Lok Sabha, said in Delhi that "this incident was only an accident and no communal colour should be given to it".

His remarks were criticised by the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party. The situation remained tense in other parts of the state as social media was agog with pictures of a man caught in Azamgarh allegedly throwing beef inside a temple. However, the administration denied any such incident.