What led to communal violence on the streets of Leicester | Ground Report

The Indian group resides in concern after weeks of violence and tensions within the UK’s Leicester that erupted after a cricket match between India and Pakistan performed in Dubai on August 28.

But what led to the sporadic violence that erupted on that night time? India Today has discovered that all of it started when a gaggle of boys from the Indian group, who occurred to be Hindus, have been celebrating India’s win over Pakistan within the Asia Cup.

Tensions flared up when a person, who first launched himself as a Pakistani Muslim, began disrespecting the Indian flag. Several makes an attempt have been made to cease him, however all of them failed and the Indian group members thrashed him up, India Today has learnt.

Eventually, it turned out that the person disrespecting the Indian flag neither belonged to the Hindu nor the Muslim group. Soon after, movies of the scuffle went viral on social media.

READ | We are one household: Religious leaders attraction for calm amid violence in UK’s Leicester

Enraged by the incident, a bunch of Muslim boys attacked a few of these Hindu boys going to Ganesh Puja on September 4.

“I am not living in my house as it is close to the mosque. Even for a hospital appointment, I have to take the help of the police, who have no idea when the investigations will be over, and I can go back home,” stated a Hindu boy who was a part of the Indian group, which was embroiled within the tensions days earlier than.

“I have just two boys. Had one of the neighbours not opened their doors, the mob would have killed them,” stated a lady, who was so burdened after these altercations that she needed to be taken to the hospital for chest ache.

The whole group of 6-7 boys within the age group of 17-25 years refused to talk to India Today on digital camera. They feared being recognised even via their voices. Some of the boys from each Hindu and the Muslim sides knew one another fairly nicely from earlier than.

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For a few fortnight or so submit the September 4 incident, individuals strolling on the streets have been stopped and requested about their faith. If they turned out to be a Hindu, they have been harassed, the boys knowledgeable India Today.

Things got here to a hilt when 200 Hindus took to the streets on September 17 in protests in opposition to the violence in opposition to the group. The Muslim contingent was current as nicely. Both teams confronted one another exterior Shivalaya Mandir on Belgrave street, Leicester. The temple flags have been then burnt by the Muslim aspect and a window was closely broken.

The Queen’s funeral was across the nook and far of the police assets had been diverted. Understaffed police tried to handle the group however discovered themselves outnumbered and even injured.

Suleman Nagdi, spokesperson of the Federation of Muslim organisations knowledgeable India Today that he condemns the act of vandalising by the Muslim group.

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“No place of worship should be damaged and if one place of worship is damaged, then it means all places of worship are damaged,” Nagdi stated.

The leaders of the Hindu and Muslim communities have additionally issued a joint assertion to finish the violence within the metropolis. The group leaders demanded that the “inciters of hatred” go away Leicester alone and known as for an instantaneous cessation of provocation and violence, each in thought and behavior.

BUT WHY LEICESTER?

Baroness Verma, a senior politician from the Tory occasion, who has lived in Leicester most of her life believed that “outside” individuals have are available and destroyed the ‘unity in variety’ component in a metropolis that has been a mixing pot of various cultures for many years. We must work to deliver the town collectively, she added.

There is one other view that the disruptive components have been the “new additions” to the town from the Indian subcontinent who’ve but to be built-in into society. Whatever the case could also be, the concern is actual and justice is awaited.

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