Pune Bakery burnt by mob mistaking Hindu owner for Muslim: Islamophobia claims innocent victim
Pune: A bakery owned by a Hindu man in Maharashtra’s Pune district was set ablaze by a violent mob after false rumours spread that the establishment belonged to a Muslim. The shocking incident occurred in Yavat village amidst rising communal tensions in the area. The owner, Swapnil Adinath Kadam, became a victim of Islamophobic violence despite belonging to the Hindu community.
The violence was reportedly sparked by two developments: the alleged defacement of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and a provocative social media post. These incidents stoked communal unrest in Yavat, culminating in a protest rally that soon turned into a riot.
As the rally progressed, a section of the mob moved toward a local mosque. On the way, they encountered Kadam's bakery. Mistaking the presence of Muslim workers as evidence of Muslim ownership, someone from the crowd shouted that the bakery belonged to a Muslim. The unverified claim quickly escalated into a frenzied attack.
Speaking to the media, Swapnil Kadam recounted the terrifying moment his shop was targeted: "Someone in the crowd just shouted that the bakery is owned by a Muslim because I employ Muslim workers from Uttar Pradesh. They didn't stop to verify anything."
Kadam said the mob began pelting stones, ripped off the tin roof, and hurled some inflammable material inside, setting the bakery ablaze. Within minutes, the entire structure was engulfed in flames, reducing his livelihood to ashes.
Innocent victims
Kadam made it clear that neither he nor his employees had any link to the controversial social media post that allegedly triggered the violence. "My workers are here just for employment. They have nothing to do with any communal post or religious dispute," he emphasised.
The bakery, which Kadam had built from scratch to support his family, is now completely destroyed. The emotional and financial toll on him and his family is immense.
Local police have launched an investigation and the administration has appealed for calm. However, the atmosphere in Yavat remains tense.
A local resident, speaking on the condition of anonymity to The Observer Post, expressed his dismay: "The way people instantly blame Muslims without any evidence shows the extent of hatred we’re living with. Today it was a Hindu who suffered because of this environment."
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4 held for sexually assaulting woman, girl on moving bus after social media alert in UP's Agra
Agra (UP) (PTI): Four people were arrested, after a prompt response by police following a social media alert, for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman and a girl inside a moving bus here, officials said on Tuesday.
According to an official police statement, at 12:27 am on April 27, information was received on the social media platform X about an incident of sexual assault on a bus travelling from Kanpur to Ahmedabad, which was approaching Namner crossing in Agra.
Acting under the direction of Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar, the Agra Police social media team immediately alerted the Rakabganj police station within minutes and coordinated with the victims to confirm the incident and obtain the exact location, it stated.
Police teams launched intensive checking at Namner crossing and intercepted the bus as it reached the spot. The four accused involved in the incident were apprehended on the spot, and legal action was initiated against them, the statement said.
The police said the swift response and coordination between the social media team and field units ensured timely action, bringing relief to the victims and other passengers, who expressed gratitude towards the police, it added.
