Etah Skullcap Incident: Police Act Against Six Youths After Video Goes Viral
UP Police took preventive action against six youths after a video showed an elderly Muslim man's skullcap being pulled off during a procession in Etah.
Police in Uttar Pradesh's Etah district have initiated preventive action against six youths following the circulation of a video that allegedly shows an elderly Muslim man being harassed and having his skullcap forcibly removed. The incident reportedly occurred during a procession in the Marhara police station area, organised to mark the birth anniversary of Rani Veerangana Avanti Bai Lodhi last week.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the footage, police examined the video and detained the youths. Proceedings have been initiated against them under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including those pertaining to wrongful restraint and assault or criminal force in an attempt to wrongfully confine.
The video, which has since gone viral, purportedly shows the youths pulling the cap off the man's head, leaving him visibly distressed. A policeman can also be seen escorting the man away from the spot. The skullcap holds significant spiritual value in Islam as a Sunnah, a highly recommended practice.
The incident stirred resentment within the local Muslim community. To address the tension, a meeting was convened on September 3 at a school in the town, attended by around 60 to 70 prominent members from both communities. During the gathering, leaders from the Lodhi community apologised to the elderly man and honoured him by presenting him with a new cap and a garland. Members of the Lodhi Mahasabha also expressed regret over the episode.
Samajwadi Party district president Parvez Zuberi, who was associated with the meeting, said the decision was taken with mutual consent to maintain communal harmony. He noted that both sides were now satisfied with the resolution. Zuberi also alleged that the elderly man was subjected to indecent behaviour and that police personnel at the scene were also misbehaved with. He confirmed that the six youths against whom police had initiated action did not attend the meeting.
Discussions at the meeting also touched upon the role of loud DJ music during processions, with some participants suggesting it could agitate crowds. A consensus emerged to avoid using DJs during future events organised on roads.
The procession was organised by the All India Lodhi Kalyan Mahasabha. Several prominent leaders, including former Chief Minister Kalyan Singh's son Rajveer Singh, Marhara MLA Virendra Lodhi, and Farrukhabad MP Mukesh Rajput, were reported to have attended the event.