Prophet row: When bulldozers came for a Uttar Pradesh teen's house

Shortly after BJP's now-suspended spokesperson Nupur Sharma made comments about Prophet Mohammed, scores of Muslims across the country rose in protest against her comments and the 'insult' to the Islamic holy figure.

Many of those protests were centred in Uttar Pradesh, where the administration resorted to bulldozing the properties of accused, calling them "illegal encroachments." It came to a point where the Supreme Court had to remind the government that demolitions cannot be "retaliatory" and must follow due process of law.

One such person targeted in the bulldozing was a 69-year-old in Western UP's Saharanpur, where his son, who he insisted was a minor with documents like Aadhaar and a school certificate, was accused and his house was marked for teardown.

According to the police, the teenager is allegedly the key conspirator of the protests that broke out in the town on June 10. They had initially claimed he is 18 years old.

On June 11, the teenager was picked up by the police as he went out to buy vegetables. His father only found out about the arrest around 4 pm, when the bulldozers arrived outside their home. It was the local administration and the police, who claimed their apartment was an illegal structure.

Also read: Political significance of Uttar Pradesh’s bulldozer demolitions

“I pleaded with them. I begged them. I fell on their feet and asked them to not demolish the house. [I told them] that this was not my house and I lived here on rent with three other families, but they kept abusing me and pushing me away,” the father told Scroll. The police removed the gate of their house, but left the building alone.

“My son protested, yes. My son spoke for his rights, yes. Why should he not speak for his rights?” his father said.

The 17-year-old has been booked for various offences, including attempt to murder, criminal intimidation, and rioting with a deadly weapon.

On June 12, Saharanpur’s Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar told ANI that 71 people were arrested in connection with the protests and the teenager “was seen invoking and provocating groups and people to join protests."

The teenager’s 62-year-old mother has also been unwell since he was picked up. “She has not eaten for days,” one of her neighbours told the publication.

The youngest of six siblings, he is the only one who lives with his family in the modest one-room apartment with a shared courtyard and bathroom. According to his mother, he likes to spend his time reading. “My son wanted to become a doctor when he grew up,” his father said.

They are angry with the media for reporting that their son is already 18 when he is still a minor.

DH could not independently verify the report.

“What crime did he commit? That he spoke up for his religion?,” his mother asked. “They can insult our religion and nothing will happen. But I do not think my son will return from police remand. They will kill him, they will kill him.”

Her husband shared her distrust of the police. “They are attacking my son because he is a Muslim. That is it,” he said.

The recent damage to the house has added to their financial worries. “I am a poor man who struggles to pay this Rs 3,000 rent. Now my landlord is asking me for Rs 50,000 for this gate that they demolished. Where do I get the money?” asked the teenager’s father.

Meanwhile, in Saharanpur, the families of the other accused fear it will be their home that the bulldozers come for next - even though the Supreme Court has demanded answers from the Uttar Pradesh government about its move.