On the night of September 26, a violent confrontation unfolded at the Dehradun railway station in Uttarakhand when a Muslim mob surrounded the station in response to a minor Muslim girl’s meeting with a Hindu boy. The girl, who reportedly traveled from Badaun in Uttar Pradesh, sparked outrage among her community upon news of the encounter.
The mob, led by Asif Qureshi, the President of the Azad Samaj Party’s Dehradun unit, resorted to stone-pelting and vandalism, targeting railway property. Reportedly, groups of Hindu men, alerted to the situation, also arrived at the station, leading to an escalation of tensions. The Hindu contingent was reportedly led by Vikas Verma.
During the chaos, eight two-wheelers and a police vehicle were damaged. Local law enforcement responded swiftly to the scene, deploying a significant police presence led by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajay Singh, who worked to restore order amidst the unrest.
SSP Singh provided insight into the incident, saying, “A minor girl from Badaun came to Dehradun to meet someone. There is already a missing person’s report registered in Badaun. We have informed the Government Railway Police (GRP) based on the girl’s location.” He noted that the situation escalated, leading to confrontations between Hindu and Muslim groups, which included stone-pelting. “The situation is under control, and we have deployed heavy police forces in the area,” he added.
Efforts were made to de-escalate tensions, with senior police officials engaging with the crowd and urging them to disperse. Authorities are currently reviewing CCTV footage to identify those involved in the violence.
In connection with the incident, over 100 individuals have been charged, including Vikas Verma and Asif Qureshi, along with several others identified as Rohit Maurya, Sunny, Rajesh, Shoaib, Nawab Qureshi, Itad Khan, Aqib, Taufiq Khan, Arsh, Siddhant Badoni, Aman Swedia, and Anil. The charges include rioting, obstructing a public servant, disobeying orders, and damaging property under various sections of the law.