BJP-sponsored riot: Men claim police gave two-hour time to attack Muslims in Bahraich

Amid reports that BJP men were involved in the communal violence that erupted in the Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, October 13, a sting operation conducted by Dainik Bhaskar, a Hindi-language daily, revealed that the police had given the rioters two hours to attack Muslim properties, leading to the incident being called sponsored violence, particularly ahead of the elections.

The men, identified as Prem Kumar and Saburi Mishra, alleged that the violence, which targeted Muslim properties, was orchestrated with the involvement of local authorities.

The violence occurred during a Durga Puja idol immersion procession in Bahraich, which took a violent turn when the procession while passing through the Muslim-majority Maharajganj area, encountered opposition over the loud music. The confrontation escalated, leading to stone-pelting between the groups.

The situation intensified further when a 22-year-old Hindu man, Ram Gopal Mishra, entered a Muslim household and attempted to hoist a saffron flag, an act that led to his fatal shooting, allegedly by members of a Muslim mob. This incident inflamed tensions, prompting a swift and violent response from Hindu groups, who attacked and burned Muslim properties, including homes, shops, and medical facilities.

In a video released by Dainik Bhaskar, the men, Kumar and Mishra, claimed that the police granted them a two-hour window to carry out these attacks. They described how they planned to target all Muslim properties within the area, but their efforts were reportedly hampered due to a lack of support from local Hindu residents. This admission has raised questions about the police's conduct during the violence and has provided opposition parties with ammunition to criticise the ruling BJP's role in handling the unrest.

The release of the footage quickly sparked a wave of reactions on social media, leading to significant public and political outrage. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, among other opposition leaders, accused the BJP of instigating and facilitating the violence, labelling the incident as "state-sponsored" and alleging that the government turned a blind eye to the rioters' actions. On the other hand, BJP representatives have dismissed the accusations as politically motivated and lacking evidence.

On Wednesday, Kumar and Mishra were detained by the police, who expressed doubts about the authenticity of their claims, citing their apparent intoxication at the time of recording. Bahraich's superintendent of police categorised their statements as unreliable due to the men's inebriated state, questioning the validity of the sting operation's findings. However, this has not deterred ongoing investigations into the matter, with police examining the extent of the involvement of Kumar, Mishra, and others in the violence that took place in various parts of Maharajganj.

The men have been charged under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges related to unlawful assembly, voluntarily causing harm, and robbery.

Additionally, more than 80 individuals have been arrested in connection with the riots, and multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) have been filed as part of the investigation. Some police personnel have also faced disciplinary actions for failing to manage the situation effectively as it unfolded, with reports indicating that several officers have been suspended for negligence.