The Uttar Pradesh police have registered an FIR towards 5 individuals, together with two Delhi-based journalists, beneath sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for allegedly selling enmity on grounds of faith by means of “malicious” posts on X claiming an incident of mob lynching in Shamli district on July 4.
The police mentioned the 5 males shared “improper data” a few man named Firoz Qureshi, who died at his residence on the evening of July 4.
Based on the criticism lodged by Firoz’s household, he was crushed up by three males — Pinky, Pankaj and Rajendra, all residents of Ganga Arya Nagar — round 8 pm and he died round 11 pm after reaching his home, mentioned the police.
An FIR on this regard was registered beneath BNS Part 105 (culpable murder not amounting to homicide) on July 5.
No arrests have been made within the case thus far, mentioned the police.
Based on the submit shared by the 5 males, Firoz was “killed by members of one other group” on the suspicion of breaking into their home. The FIR was registered on a criticism by a sub-inspector, Manendra Kumar, of Thana Bhawan police station in Shamli. The 2 journalists had been recognized as Zakir Ali Tyagi and Wasim Akram Tyagi, and the opposite three as Asif Rana, Saif Allahabadi and Ahmed Raza Khan.
The FIR acknowledged: “Relating to the incident of deceased Firoz… Zakir Ali, Wasim Akram Tyagi, Asif Rana, Saif Allahabadi and Ahmed Raza Khan posted/reposted from their X account… They wrote that late at evening in Jalalabad city of Thana Bhawan police station space, a younger man, whose identify is claimed to be Firoz alias Kala Qureshi, was crushed to loss of life by some individuals of one other group on suspicion of breaking into the home. Anybody would kill somebody like this after which say that he/she had suspicions.”
It additional mentioned, “Due to the tweets (posts) by the above individuals on their X account, there’s an enmity and anger among the many individuals of a selected group… On account of this, there’s each chance of communal concord and native peace getting disturbed. Please take authorized motion on this regard.”
The FIR towards the 5 has been registered beneath BNS Sections 196 (selling enmity between totally different teams on grounds of faith, race, native land, residence, language, and many others.) and 353 (public mischief).
Journalist Zakir Ali informed The Indian Express, “Shamli Police has registered an FIR towards me for reporting the ‘lynching case’. This isn’t the primary time. Even earlier than this I had been attacked 5 instances due to my reporting. Not solely me however different journalists too are stunned (over the police motion on his submit).”
“Two days in the past, an individual named Firoz Qureshi died in Jalalabad, Shamli, after which his members of the family stored his physique on the street and blocked it. Theyaccused Pankaj, Pinky and Rajendra and plenty of of their associates of mob lynching. The police additionally registered an FIR towards the accused, however due to my report primarily based on the statements of Firoz’s members of the family, I’m being focused. My solely crime is that I wrote what it’s… I couldn’t dilute it by calling the incident a coronary heart assault or an unintentional loss of life,” mentioned the journalist.
He additional mentioned he’ll problem the FIR within the Excessive Court docket and Supreme Court docket.
The Shamli police have maintained that it was not the case of mob lynching. “On the evening of July 4, Firoz had entered the home of accused Rajendra in an intoxicated state. A scuffle broke out between the 2 events. Later Firoz’s household took him residence the place he died. There was no critical seen harm on Firoz’s physique. On the premise of the criticism of (Firoz’s) members of the family, a case was registered beneath related sections and autopsy of the physique was carried out,” mentioned the police in a press release.
“It was additionally knowledgeable earlier that it’s clear from the autopsy report that the reason for loss of life was not assault. The deceased had entered the accused’s home drunk. Regardless of this, the incident was intentionally given a communal color and it was posted on social media as mob lynching with the intention of spreading unwell will. Motion will probably be taken within the FIR registered as per the autopsy report. Applicable FIR has additionally been registered towards the malicious submit. The accusations are irrational and therefore refuted,” learn the assertion.
The police mentioned that the viscera of the deceased is preserved and the report is awaited for a similar as the reason for the loss of life is unclear. The inspector in-charge of Thana Bhawan police station has been directed to take strict authorized motion towards these booked for posting “improper” data, the police mentioned.