Tension erupts in Pilibhit over 'tazia' ahead of Muharram

Tension erupted in Pilibhit's Barkheda police station area when some people created a ruckus over plans to take out tazias ahead of Muharram, protesting that a new tradition was being set in the village.

Members of the Muslim community in the area, however, said they have been making 'tazias' for the last seven years but these were not taken out during the last two years due to the lockdown.

In another incident, there was an altercation between local people and the police in the Pilibhit Sadar Kotwali area over preparations to place 'tazias' on a road ahead of schedule.

According to Barkheda police station in-charge Uday Veer Singh, some people in Amkheda village on Thursday night protested against plans to take out 'tazias', saying a new tradition was being set.

Refuting the charge, Taziadar Mohammad Hussain said 'tazias' have been made continuously since 2015 but as these were not taken out of the village in the last two years, people were calling it a new tradition.

Hussain said photos of 'tazias' dated December 12, 2019 were available on Facebook accounts of local people of the Muslim community.

Circle Officer, Bilaspur, Prashant Singh told media persons that an appeal has been made to people of both sides to maintain peace.

In view of the tension, police force has been deployed in the village, he said.

In the Pilibhit Sadar Kotwali area, local people making preparations to place 'tazias' on the Mohalla Madina Shah Lal Road near an Imambara were stopped by cops, leading to an altercation.

The scheduled date for the 'tazias' to be placed on the road was August 6, and as the preparations were being made on Thursday night, police intervened to stop them.

CO City Sunil Dutt told media persons that police forces of two police stations have been deployed in the area.