UP police threatens 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots witness

Police personnel allegedly threatened and shot at a victim and witness in 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots case here.

The incident took place on June 12 and it came to light when a video went viral in which police personnel were threatening witness Ikram Siddique and his family.

Speaking to media, Siddique's daughter Gulfsha said, "A police official in civilian dress inquired about my father. When he came he dragged my father outside our home and started fighting with my father. My father is a witness in an incident of arson during the 2013 riots and my grandfather is a witness in a murder case. Police are forcing my father not to give statements in the case."

She alleged, "Police also hit me on my stomach and fired a bullet on my father. The Jat community people are pressurising my father not to give a statement against them in the riots case."

"My father refused to give a statement in the benefit of Jat community following which the police personnel pressurised my father," she said.

The victim's father Nafedi said, "In 2013, a man was murdered and I witnessed that murder. The police have pressurized my son who is a witness in an arson case. My son was dragged outside the house and beaten. Police told us that the Circle Officer is calling my son.

"When we questioned that then one of the policemen shot his legs, however, he managed to escape," he said.

On being asked by media who was responsible for this incident, Nafedi said, "I think BJP MLA Umesh Malik is responsible for this incident.

However, Malik, an MLA from Budhana assembly constituency, said, "The allegations by Ikram and his family are false. He is free to give his statements. The police raided his house when they got information that a criminal was hiding in his house.

-ANI