Imam injured in 'clash' near Aligarh; police deny communal angle

Aligarh (UP), Sep 21 (PTI) The imam of a mosque in a village here was injured in a clash and admitted to a hospital after allegedly facing verbal harassment from a group of youths for the past few weeks, police said on Sunday.

According to local Muslim leaders, the same group on Friday evening accosted Qari Mustaqeem, imam of Lakhanpura mosque under the Lodha police station limits, on the outskirts of Aligarh and assaulted him.

While they claimed the imam was assaulted for not raising certain slogans, police have denied any communal angle to the incident.

"It was a clash between two groups on the roadside triggered by a road rage," Additional SP (City), M Shekhar Pathak, said.

“Two persons were injured in the scuffle. Both sides lodged complaints on which a probe is on. Allegations that the imam was forced to raise certain slogans are not true. The situation in the area is peaceful,” the officer said.

Mufti Mehmoodul Hasan Qasmi of Aligarh Jama Masjid and Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind’s district president Syed Abdullah have demanded immediate arrest of those responsible for the assault on the imam, alleging that attempts were being made to disturb communal harmony in the area. PTI COR ABN ARI