Hindutva activists stormed into our house, asked us to prove nationality: Kargil war veteran's kin

Pune: The family members of a Kargil war veteran have alleged that a group of around 80 persons affiliated to a Hindutva outfit barged into their house in Pune and demanded a proof of their Indian citizenship, accusing them of being Bangladeshis.

The incident took place in Chandannagar area of the city Saturday midnight, they claimed, adding that some police personnel in plain clothes were also present at that time but they remained mute spectators.

Irshad Shaikh (48) said his elder brother Hakimuddin Shaikh, who currently resides in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh, served in the Indian Army and took part in the Kargil war. He retired as a havildar from the Engineers Regiment in 2000.

"While my elder brother lives in Uttar Pradesh, I, along with my two brothers and their children, have been living in Pune's Chandannagar area for the last many decades," he said.

On Saturday midnight, around 80 people suddenly came to our house and began banging on the door. When we opened it, some of them barged in and started demanding Aadhaar cards of the family members. When we showed the documents, they termed them as fake and asked the women and children to produce Aadhaar cards, Shaikh alleged.

He said they tried to explain to the group that the family had been residing there for the last 60 years and that apart from his elder brother, two of his uncles had also served in the army.

"But members of the group were in no mood to listen. They hurled abuses and accused us of being Bangladeshis. I told them that if they want to investigate, they are welcome to do so, but barging into someone's house, hurling abuses and forcing children to show documents at midnight was not appropriate," he said.

Shaikh claimed that when the group of Hindutva activists began chanting 'Jai Shree Ram' and tried to force the family members to come to the police station, two individuals accompanying them identified themselves as policemen.

During the entire episode, these two policemen in plain clothes stood by silently and did not do anything, he said.

He also alleged that when they reached the Chandannagar police station, the woman police inspector took their documents and asked them to wait outside.

"After making us wait for two hours, the officer told us to visit again the next day and warned that if we fail to do so, we would be declared Bangladeshi nationals," Shaikh said.

He added that they visited the police station again the next day.

"We were asked not to make an issue out of the incident and not to file any complaint. Police are now trying to pressure us and show that no one barged into our house," Shaikh, who works in the transport sector, said.

If there were any discrepancies in the documents, the police would have taken a coercive action, he said.

"But since all our documents are genuine, they are now asking us to stay quiet," he claimed, adding that he told the officers they could provide a proof of their Indian citizenship dating back to 400 years.

Several members of the family had served in the Indian army, Shaikh said.

"My uncle was injured in the 1971 war after a bomb explosion and was awarded for his valour. Another uncle fought alongside Abdul Hameed during the Indo-Pak War of 1965," he added.

Shaikh said they approached social activist Rahul Dambale, who helped them contact a senior police officer.

The officer assured action in the matter, but even after three to four days, no steps have been taken, he alleged.

Speaking to PTI, Hakimuddin Shaikh, who served in the Engineers Regiment, said what happened to his family in Pune was wrong. "We have been living in Pune for over 50 years. While living in Pune, my uncle Mohammad Salim was recruited into the Indian Army. What happened with my family was wrong, and if needed, I will speak to the police and seek an explanation," he said.

However, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 4) Somay Munde asserted that no such incident involving a large group barging into Shaikh's house took place. He, however, said that some police personnel did visit the place to verify their documents.

"The drive against illegal Bangladeshi nationals is underway in the city. Under this drive, police received some information and went to the house to verify it. Since it was night, no women were brought to the police station and only some male members were asked to accompany the police. As it was late, they were asked to come back the next day. Prima facie, no illegality was found in their documents," Munde said.

The police team that visited the house has video footage of the inquiry, he added.

Meanwhile, Dambale, president of the National Conference for Minority, said the Hindutva outfit members tried to terrorise the war veteran's family members.

"We have sought registration of an FIR in this connection. We will meet Pune Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar to demand action," he said.