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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Three arrested for running fake Aadhaar racket in UP's Badaun
Budaun (UP), Apr 30 (PTI): The Budaun Police on Thursday busted a gang allegedly involved in preparing fake Aadhaar cards and forged documents, and arrested three of its members, officials said.
The action was carried out in the Hazratpur area, where the accused were found operating an illegal setup to generate fake identity documents, they said.
The accused have been identified as Farman Ali, a resident of Munshi Nagla, Anuj Kumar of Uprela, and Brajnandan of Sirsauli.
The police said a fingerprint scanner, three laptops, a hard disk, a scanner, a large number of Aadhaar cards and several suspicious documents were recovered from their possession.
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During interrogation, it was revealed that the gang had been involved in preparing fake identity documents for a long time, misleading people and earning money through illegal means, officials said.
Station House Officer Pushpendra Singh said the accused have been produced before a court, and efforts are underway to identify and arrest other members of the gang.
He added that further revelations are likely as the investigation progresses.
