Meerut: Tension gripped the Thapar Nagar area on Sunday morning after animal meat was found dumped outside a gurdwara, prompting a swift police response to prevent any flare-up. A large number of locals gathered at the spot and voiced their anger over the incident.
Additional Superintendent of Police (City) Ayush Vikram Singh and Circle Officer Naveena Shukla rushed to the area, and a crime branch team was also called in to assist with the investigation. Singh said the meat was discovered near an under-construction building adjacent to the gurdwara, and residents immediately informed the police.
According to preliminary findings, unidentified persons are suspected to have thrown the meat deliberately to disturb communal harmony in the locality. Police are scanning CCTV footage from the area, though several cameras were found to be non-functional and some houses were locked, limiting access to recordings.
An FIR has been registered against unknown persons on the basis of a complaint filed by Harpreet Singh, general secretary of Thaparnagar Gurdwara Guru Singh Sabha. Investigators believe the act was intentional and that no outsider appears to be involved, suggesting an attempt by someone local to vitiate the atmosphere.
Police personnel have been deployed in and around the gurdwara to maintain peace and prevent any escalation, while further investigation is underway.
(Inputs from PTI)