Raichur: Bajrangdal activists attacked a mosque, threw copies of Quran, mikes and set of mats and other items on fire at a mosque in Raichur district's Talekan village in Maski taluk. The incident came to light lately.

A terror attack had taken place on Indian soldiers at Pulwama in Kashmir on February 14. Accusing some Muslim youths of celebrating the terror attack, the Bajrangdal activists thronged into a mosque and threw off copies of Holy Quran, mikes and set mats and other items on fire.

They then lodged a complaint with the police alleging that the Pakistan Zindabad slogans were raised and soldiers' death was celebrated. Following which, a case was registered under Section 147 of the IPC, including Section 25/2019, 143, 147, 120 (A) 153 (A) and 504. Based on this, the Maski police have reportedly arrested six Muslim youths.

Even after the incident, Bajrangdal activists continued to bolster the protest and demanded to book sedition case against the arrested youths. It is learnt that activists gave a call to boycott trade with Muslims and not to give even a drop of water to them. They also blocked Muslims from coming to Namaz.

The Maski police, on February 24, registered a case against Bajrangdal workers as well, for destroying various materials at the mosque. The case was registered under Section 149, 147, 427, 435, 295, and 149 and nine workers were taken into custody. However, the Bajrangdal activists were reportedly released without any punishment.

After this, they again attacked an old man Hussein Saab, who was returning from the mosque on April 9. Around 10 Bajrang Dal activists allegedly attacked Hussein Saab, used foul language, thrashed him and also threatened him to leave the village. A case has been registered against Vishwanath, Kanteppa, PB Basappa and five others under section 149 IPC, including Section 143, 147, 341, 504, 323, 506 at the Maski Police Station.

A delegation of the Raichur district SDPI visited the superintendent of police and demanded immediate arrest of the accused who threatened to leave the village. It sought stringent action against the culprits and requested to restore communal harmony in the village.

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Ahmedabad, Apr 25: The Gujarat Congress on Friday suspended from the party for six years its Surat Lok Sabha candidate Nilesh Kumbhani, whose nomination form was rejected over discrepancies leading to the BJP's Mukesh Dalal getting elected unopposed.

A statement from the Congress said the party's disciplinary committee decided to suspend Kumbhani after thorough discussion, adding it had come to the conclusion that the nomination form was rejected due to gross negligence on his part or "in connivance with the BJP".

"To be fair to you we have given time to you to explain your case but instead of coming before the party disciplinary committee you have gone incommunicado. After your form was rejected by the authorities, BJP went ahead and got form of other eight candidates withdrawn. This has deprived people of Surat their voting rights," the Congress disciplinary committee headed by Balu Patel said.

"People of Surat and party workers have become very angry due to your action and are expressing their anger in different ways. The Congress party has decided to suspend you for six years from the party," the press note said.

Kumbhani's nomination form was rejected on April 21 after his three proposers submitted affidavits to the district returning officer claiming the signatures on the document was not theirs.

The nomination form of Suresh Padsala, the Congress' substitute candidate from Surat, was also invalidated on the same grounds.

In his order, Returning Officer Sourabh Pardhi said the three nomination forms submitted by Kumbhani and Padsala were rejected after prima facie discrepancy was found in the signatures of the proposers and they did not appear to be genuine.

Kumbhani, a former corporator from Surat, had unsuccessfully fought the 2022 Assembly polls from Kamrej there.

The Bharatiya Janata Party's Mukesh Dalal was elected unopposed from Surat Lok Sabha constituency on April 22 after all other nominees, including one from BSP, withdrew from the fray one by one on the last day of withdrawing papers.