Nagori Bibi, Resident Khed Brahma near State Transport bus stand, Sabarkantha District.
Date of incident: February 28th, 2002
The tension escalated and the mob (which she estimated as being over 2000) started throwing stones. By about 12 noon about 50 -60 people were taking refuge in her house. 25 of these people belonged to her extended family. Her brother-in-law then phoned the police to be told - "We neither have the time nor the staff. We can't come". They then phoned Amanullah Khan the local Muslim leader and also a member of the Congress. It was only after he put pressure on the police that they came.
(Vadali Relief Camp, Sabarkantha. March 28, 2002)
Shamshad Bibi, Resident Khed Brahma (near dargah), Sabarkantha.
Date of incident: February 28th, 2002.
On February 27th when my sons went to the dargah they heard rumours that a dhamal (incident) was about to take place. There were other rumours of impending tension. 4 families slept at the dargah that night. In fact 2 policemen were posted outside. "Now when I look back the police had come around asking questions about the Muslim residents, like how much cattle we possessed." One policeman asked - "Mutton vutton milega kya?" Nothing happened that night. I was cooking lunch the next day when the mobs came shouting - Maro, Maro (Kill! Kill!) They were carrying trishuls. We ran. We had to cross the river, which is dry. Finally we reached the dargah. I found many other Muslims there. About 300 to 400 of us were cramped into a room. Then they came and set fire to the dargah wall. The police was around but did not stop the crowd. In fact we could hear them shouting looto! All we could do was pray. The police squad finally came and took us to the Police Station. We could hear them talking on the wireless - sab tod diya, phod diya. (everything is broken, destroyed) Then suddenly we were told - chale jao nahin to police station ko jala denge. (Go from here or they will burn down the police station)
(Vadali Relief Camp. Sabarkantha. March 28, 2002)
Farzana: Resident of Vatva, Ahmedabad (Story narrated by her sister-in-law Naim)
Date of Incident: March 20, 2002.
Farzana, 25, lived behind the Dargah. She was shot dead by the police on the 20th of March. Her family members said: "First, we heard a commotion outside. Then we noticed a pall of smoke. As we came out into the courtyard to check what was happening, the police fired indiscriminately, killing Farzana. There were no men around as they had all gone to read the namaaz". Among the policemen identified by the residents of the area are SP KC Patel, PSI Baluch, PSI Siddiq Sheikh and PI Singh. "The Hindu mobs were gathering near Ashopalo housing society, some distance away. Par Police ne wahan nahin, hamare par hi attack kar diya. (But instead of going there, the Police came here and started firing). In the same shooting spree a young man Sikandar, 20, was killed. Six others, including Mumtaz Bano, were wounded. She is a polio victim. Her neighbours are bewildered. "Why shoot at a handicapped girl? Poor thing had one bad leg, now she has two damaged legs." Farzana's older sister, Shahnaz Bano, was lathi charged when she came out to save her sister. Shahnaz is angry and bitter. "How can they enter our homes and kill us. We only ask for one thing - insaaf"
We saw the bullet holes in the wall and the memorial they had made for Farzana. A crumpled dupatta marks the spot in the courtyard where Farzana first fell. An aluminium pot covers the spot where she died.
(Vatva, Ahmedabad. March 27, 2002)
Naseem and Ameena, Residents of Bahar Colony (an upper middle class colony) Vadodora
Date of Incident: March 17, 2002
When the fact-finding team arrived there shortly before noon, the road was deserted since the area was under curfew. Only women were allowed to venture out in the day. On the main road we were met by one of the residents, Naseem. She told us of the events of March 17.
The mob came at 11 PM but could not enter the colony because of police patrolling. Then they retuned at 3 PM the next day. First, they blasted a godown. Then they began to burn the few `jhonpar pattis' (slum dwellings) nearby. These were owned by some Hindu families who had already been evacuated. Suddenly police jeeps were seen. 200-300 women tried to stop the police jeeps. It is alleged that the police just went ahead saying `Ab to yahan aisa chalay ga!' (From now on, this is the way it will go here).Then they returned and started firing during which one bystander was shot. Since the women were outside on the road, the police started beating them with lathis to herd them inside. Amina Haroon Memon was one such woman.
Amina took us aside, removed her shalwar and showed the laceration mark from the police danda. 'They hit me even as I was trying to get back inside my house. And such filthy gaalis. We went out to call the police because if our boys would have gone they would have forcibly taken them away. Even if I die it does not matter. I am forty plus. But not the young boys, they have a life ahead. The people who come they have 'sadhan' (arms) we have nothing.'
(Vadodra. March 28, 2002)
Date of incident: February 28th, 2002
The tension escalated and the mob (which she estimated as being over 2000) started throwing stones. By about 12 noon about 50 -60 people were taking refuge in her house. 25 of these people belonged to her extended family. Her brother-in-law then phoned the police to be told - "We neither have the time nor the staff. We can't come". They then phoned Amanullah Khan the local Muslim leader and also a member of the Congress. It was only after he put pressure on the police that they came.
(Vadali Relief Camp, Sabarkantha. March 28, 2002)
Shamshad Bibi, Resident Khed Brahma (near dargah), Sabarkantha.
Date of incident: February 28th, 2002.
On February 27th when my sons went to the dargah they heard rumours that a dhamal (incident) was about to take place. There were other rumours of impending tension. 4 families slept at the dargah that night. In fact 2 policemen were posted outside. "Now when I look back the police had come around asking questions about the Muslim residents, like how much cattle we possessed." One policeman asked - "Mutton vutton milega kya?" Nothing happened that night. I was cooking lunch the next day when the mobs came shouting - Maro, Maro (Kill! Kill!) They were carrying trishuls. We ran. We had to cross the river, which is dry. Finally we reached the dargah. I found many other Muslims there. About 300 to 400 of us were cramped into a room. Then they came and set fire to the dargah wall. The police was around but did not stop the crowd. In fact we could hear them shouting looto! All we could do was pray. The police squad finally came and took us to the Police Station. We could hear them talking on the wireless - sab tod diya, phod diya. (everything is broken, destroyed) Then suddenly we were told - chale jao nahin to police station ko jala denge. (Go from here or they will burn down the police station)
(Vadali Relief Camp. Sabarkantha. March 28, 2002)
Farzana: Resident of Vatva, Ahmedabad (Story narrated by her sister-in-law Naim)
Date of Incident: March 20, 2002.
Farzana, 25, lived behind the Dargah. She was shot dead by the police on the 20th of March. Her family members said: "First, we heard a commotion outside. Then we noticed a pall of smoke. As we came out into the courtyard to check what was happening, the police fired indiscriminately, killing Farzana. There were no men around as they had all gone to read the namaaz". Among the policemen identified by the residents of the area are SP KC Patel, PSI Baluch, PSI Siddiq Sheikh and PI Singh. "The Hindu mobs were gathering near Ashopalo housing society, some distance away. Par Police ne wahan nahin, hamare par hi attack kar diya. (But instead of going there, the Police came here and started firing). In the same shooting spree a young man Sikandar, 20, was killed. Six others, including Mumtaz Bano, were wounded. She is a polio victim. Her neighbours are bewildered. "Why shoot at a handicapped girl? Poor thing had one bad leg, now she has two damaged legs." Farzana's older sister, Shahnaz Bano, was lathi charged when she came out to save her sister. Shahnaz is angry and bitter. "How can they enter our homes and kill us. We only ask for one thing - insaaf"
We saw the bullet holes in the wall and the memorial they had made for Farzana. A crumpled dupatta marks the spot in the courtyard where Farzana first fell. An aluminium pot covers the spot where she died.
(Vatva, Ahmedabad. March 27, 2002)
Naseem and Ameena, Residents of Bahar Colony (an upper middle class colony) Vadodora
Date of Incident: March 17, 2002
When the fact-finding team arrived there shortly before noon, the road was deserted since the area was under curfew. Only women were allowed to venture out in the day. On the main road we were met by one of the residents, Naseem. She told us of the events of March 17.
The mob came at 11 PM but could not enter the colony because of police patrolling. Then they retuned at 3 PM the next day. First, they blasted a godown. Then they began to burn the few `jhonpar pattis' (slum dwellings) nearby. These were owned by some Hindu families who had already been evacuated. Suddenly police jeeps were seen. 200-300 women tried to stop the police jeeps. It is alleged that the police just went ahead saying `Ab to yahan aisa chalay ga!' (From now on, this is the way it will go here).Then they returned and started firing during which one bystander was shot. Since the women were outside on the road, the police started beating them with lathis to herd them inside. Amina Haroon Memon was one such woman.
Amina took us aside, removed her shalwar and showed the laceration mark from the police danda. 'They hit me even as I was trying to get back inside my house. And such filthy gaalis. We went out to call the police because if our boys would have gone they would have forcibly taken them away. Even if I die it does not matter. I am forty plus. But not the young boys, they have a life ahead. The people who come they have 'sadhan' (arms) we have nothing.'
(Vadodra. March 28, 2002)
