2016 Coimbatore riots

Last updated

2016 Coimbatore riots
DateSeptember 22–24, 2016
Location
Caused byMurder of Hindu Munnai functionary C Sasikumar
Methods
Resulted inRiot stopped after 2 days
Casualties
Injuries
  • 12 Police men from stone pelting
  • 3 Police suffered fire burns
Arrested650 people, mostly from Hindu Munnani
Detained
  • 305 Hindu Munnani members
  • 2 BJP members
Damages
All damages
  • 10 private vehicles including an autorickshaw burned down
  • 6 Police Vehicles including a police Jeep burned down
  • 34 government buses
  • 39 shops belonging to Muslims
  • 15 shops belonging to the Hindus
Total estimated cost of the damages : ₹5 Crores [1]

The 2016 Coimbatore riots refers to the riots that took place in Coimbatore from September 22 to September 24, 2016, by members of the Hindu Munnani [2] after the murder of the outfit's district spokesperson, C Sasikumar. [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Background

Sasikumar was attacked when he was returning to his home in his motor-cycle when unidentified men chased him in their motor-cycles and assaulted him with Sickles on September 22, 2016, in Subramaniampalayam, a place in the outskirts of the city. [6] Despite his injuries he managed to escape and later died in a private hospital. [7]

Meanwhile, more than 500 members of the Hindu Munnani gathered near the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital(CMCH) where his body was taken for autopsy. The Hindu Munnani state president who also warned of "another Gujarat" in Tamil Nadu, called for a state-wide bandh in the following day. [7] [8]

Riots

The violence reportedly started within hours of his murder on September 22 when three mosques were attacked with petrol bombs. [9] [10]

During the funeral procession of Sasikumar from CMCH to Subramaniampalayam which was participated by mob consisting of members Hindu Munnani, [11] Rashtriya Swayamsevak sangh (RSS) and BJP. [12] Members of the Hindu Munnani started destroying the window panes of several shops and attacked several houses and commercial establishments mostly of Muslims, along their way. The mob also pelted stones at the buses and attacked several places of worship creating chaos. [13] [2] [10] [9] When the procession reached the Thudiyalur, where Sasikumar lived, the mob turned their rage at the police and started pelting stones at the police which injured 12 policemen and also burned a Police jeep. [10] Media persons covering the funeral procession were also attacked and three police officers also sustained burn injuries. [14] [15]

The mob also set several cars on fire and some members set fire and ransacked several Shops. [16] 1 Police jeep and an auto-rickshaw were burned down and at least 30 government buses were damaged by the rioters. [17] [3] Eyewitness claimed that the mob went on a looting spree even in-front of the watching police. [5]

A Muslim man's mobile phone shop at Tutiyalur was looted and ransacked allegedly by members of Hindutva outfits after they broke into the shop at the night of September 24. The CCTV video of the looting quickly went viral on social media. The Muslim Community alleged that Muslim businesses were mostly targeted by the rioters. [18] [5]

Tensions also prevailed in Tiruppur and most of the Shops were closed down in both the cities during the rampage. Some schools were also closed. Six special police teams have been formed to catch the rioters. Meanwhile, Muslim organizations asked the collector for an intervention by district administration to end the violence by Hindutva outfits. [6]

Damages

A joint petition by the Forum for Coimbatore People's Unity including several advocate's and political parties to the district collector in January 2019, reported that the rioters of the Hindu Munnani had damaged 10 private vehicles, 34 government buses, 39 shops belonging to Muslims, 15 shops belonging to the Hindus and 6 Police Vehicles. The report estimated the damages to about 5 crores. [1] The petition asked the district administration to collect 5 crores from Hindu Munnani and also accused the Hindu Munnani of trying to get political gains from the riots. [19]

Arrests

The Coimbatore police reported that it had arrested more than 650 people involved in the unrest on September 26. Of them 129 remained in custody for allegedly planning violence and involvement in violence and the remaining were given bail. The police also warned that the number would go up. [20] [21] As of September 27, a total of 305 Hindu Munnani members were arrested. [22]

In October 2016, Two members of the Bharatiya Janata Party were arrested for their involvement in the riots under the Goondas Act and were sent to the Vellore Central Prison. [23]

Investigation

Director general of police, Ramesh. K Ramanujam said that there is an issue in the investigation for the case, because not every murder was communal in nature and a series of murders in the state for the past few years have been given communal colour by Hindutva groups in an attempt to spread their ideologies. [24] A senior police officer said that some members of Hindutva outfits have known criminal records and when caught they try to use their religion to escape from the law. [25]

Related Research Articles

Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK), literally meaning Hindu People's Party, also pronounced as Indu Makkal Katchi (IMK), is a right-wing, Hindu nationalist party in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1998 Coimbatore bombings</span> Bombings in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

The 1998 Coimbatore bombings occurred on Saturday, 14 February 1998, in the city of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. A total of 58 people were killed and over 200 injured in the 12 bomb attacks in 11 places, all within a 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) radius. The explosives used were found to be gelatin sticks activated by timer devices and were concealed in cars, motorcycles, bicycles, sideboxes of two-wheelers, denim and rexine bags, and fruit carts. Several bombs that failed to detonate were defused by bomb disposal squads of the Army, National Security Guards and Tamil Nadu Commando School. The bombings were apparently in retaliation to the 1997 Coimbatore riots during November – December the previous year, when Hindu fundamentalists groups killed 18 Muslims and 2 Hindus and looted several thousands of properties of Muslims following the murder of a traffic policeman named Selvaraj, by a member of the radical Islamist group Al Ummah. The main conspirator was found to be S A Basha, the founder of Al Ummah, an Islamic fundamentalist body. Investigators found out that the blasts were a part of larger conspiracy to target L.K.Advani, the leader of Bharatiya Janata Party on that day at 4 p.m in his election meeting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi</span> Indian political party

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi formerly known as the Dalit Panthers of India or the Dalit Panthers Iyyakkam is an Indian social movement and political party that seeks to combat caste based discrimination, active in the state of Tamil Nadu. The party also has a strong emphasis on Tamil nationalism. Its chairman is Thol. Thirumavalavan, a lawyer from Chennai and its general secretary is the writer Ravikumar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2002 Gujarat riots</span> Sectarian violence in the Indian state

The 2002 Gujarat riots, also known as the 2002 Gujarat violence, was a three-day period of inter-communal violence in the western Indian state of Gujarat. The burning of a train in Godhra on 27 February 2002, which caused the deaths of 58 Hindu pilgrims and karsevaks returning from Ayodhya, is cited as having instigated the violence. Following the initial riot incidents, there were further outbreaks of violence in Ahmedabad for three months; statewide, there were further outbreaks of violence against the minority Muslim population of Gujarat for the next year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hindu Munnani</span> Indian political party

Hindu Munnani is a right-wing Hindu nationalist organisation based in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Hindu Munnani was set up by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) The organisation was founded in 1980 by Ramagopalan, a member of RSS and since its formation served as the platform for RSS and its subsidiaries known as the Sangh Parivar.

Religious violence in India includes acts of violence by followers of one religious group against followers and institutions of another religious group, often in the form of rioting. Religious violence in India has generally involved Hindus and Muslims.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1969 Gujarat riots</span> Indian sectarian violence

The 1969 Gujarat riots involved communal violence between Hindus and Muslims during September–October 1969, in Gujarat, India. The violence was Gujarat's first major riot that involved massacre, arson, and looting on a large scale. It was the most deadly Hindu-Muslim violence since the partition of India in 1947, and remained so until the 1989 Bhagalpur violence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1980 Moradabad riots</span> Religious clashes in Uttar Pradesh, India

The 1980 Moradabad riots, also known as the Moradabad Muslim Massacre, refers to violence that happened in the Indian city of Moradabad during August–November 1980. When a pig entered the local Idgah during the Eid festival prayer on 13 August, local Muslims asked the police to remove the pig, but the police refused to do so. This led to a confrontation between the police and the Muslims. The police responded with indiscriminate firing, which led to over one hundred deaths. This was followed by a series of violent incidents which became religious in nature, and led to arson, looting and murders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Kandhamal violence</span> Anti-Christian violence in Orissa

The 2008 Kandhamal violence refers to widespread violence against Christians purportedly incited by Hindutva organisations in the Kandhamal district of Orissa, India, in August 2008 after the murder of the Hindu monk Lakshmanananda Saraswati. According to government reports the violence resulted in at least 39 Christians killed and 3906 Christian houses completely destroyed. Reports state, more than 395 churches were razed or burnt down, over 5,600 – 6,500 houses plundered or burnt down, over 600 villages ransacked and more than 60,000 – 75,000 people left homeless. Other reports put the death toll at nearly 100 and suggested more than 40 women were sexually assaulted. Unofficial reports placed the number of those killed to more than 500. Many Christian families were burnt alive. Thousands of Christians were forced to convert to Hinduism under threat of violence. Many Hindu families were also assaulted in some places because they supported the Indian National Congress (INC) party. This violence was led by the Bajrang Dal, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the VHP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">H. Raja</span> Indian politician

Hariharan Raja Sharma also known as H. Raja is an Indian politician. He started his political-social life as an Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) promoter. He was a MLA representing the Karaikudi constituency in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from 2001 to 2006. He was one of the national secretaries of the Bharatiya Janata Party from 2014 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Delhi riots</span> 2020 series of riots in Delhi, India

The 2020 Delhi riots, or North East Delhi riots, were multiple waves of bloodshed, property destruction, and rioting in North East Delhi, beginning on 23 February 2020 and brought about chiefly by Hindu mobs attacking Muslims. Of the 53 people killed, two-thirds were Muslims who were shot, slashed with repeated blows, or set on fire. The dead also included over a dozen Hindus, who were shot or assaulted. More than a week after the violence had ended, hundreds of wounded were languishing in inadequately staffed medical facilities and corpses were being found in open drains. By mid-March many Muslims had remained missing.

The 2007 Christmas violence in Kandhamal violence refers to the violence that occurred during the Christmas of 2007 between the groups led by Sangh Parivar together with the Sangh-affiliated Kui Samaj and the Christians in the Kandhamal district of Odisha.

The 2016 Ariyalur gang rape refers to the gang rape and murder of a pregnant 17-year-old minor Dalit girl, Nandhini, by a Hindu Munnani Union secretary and three of his friends in December 2016 in Ariyalur District. The men gang raped her and pulled out the fetus from her womb after cutting her genitalia with a blade. Nandhini died at the spot due to excessive bleeding. The men then threw her body into a nearby well. Her body was found in the well with her hands tied in a decomposed state, stripped of her clothes and jewellery.

The 2019 Ponparappi violence happened on April 18, 2019, during the polling day for the 2019 Indian general election in the village of Ponparappi, Tamil Nadu. The violence reportedly started as scuffles and agitations between the supporters of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the members of Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) together with the members of Hindu Munnani, which reportedly led to violence by the members of the PMK on a Dalit colony. 60 to115 Dalit houses were damaged and Dalits were assaulted.

The 1997 Coimbatore riots occurred between 29 November 1997 and 1 December 1997 in Coimbatore triggered by a murder of a police constable allegedly by some Muslim youth over a dispute of detention of Al-Ummah functionaries by the police. The policemen revolted in response to the murder of the constable and in concert with the members of the Hindu Munnani and the Hindu Makkal Katchi, attacked Muslims and Muslim-owned properties. Clashes erupted between both the communities and the police reportedly opened fire targeting the Muslims killing ten. Many Muslim youth were beaten to death or burnt alive. Muslim-owned businesses in different parts of the city were looted and burnt down. At the end of the riots, 18 Muslims and 2 Hindus lost their lives.

During the 1990 Madras riots, violence broke out between Muslims and Hindus during a Hindu religious procession near a Mosque in September 1997 in Triplicane, Tamil Nadu. Three Muslims were reported to be killed in the violence. Unofficial reports place the death toll to five to six. Muslim owned stores were burned down and looted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ram Navami riots</span> Communal clashes during Rama Navami rallies

Rama Navami is a Hindu festival celebrating the birthday of Hindu deity Rama. It falls on the 9th day of the Chaitra month every year in the Hindu calendar, usually during the months of March–April. At least since 1979, if not earlier, This festival often involves processions of Hindu worshipers through cities, including Muslim-majority regions. These displays, often considered provocative, have repeatedly led to violence between Hindu and Muslim communities. Scholar Paul Brass states that Rama himself has been turned into a political emblem of the RSS family of organisations, and the Rama Navami processions are "led by or turned into provocative displays" by Hindutva organisations such as the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal. However, he fails to mention that Ram Navami processions were common in India, and other parts of the world where Hindus reside. These processions occurred much before VHP and Bajrang Dal even existed.

The 2023 Haryana riots commonly referred to as the Nuh violence were a series of clashes in northern India that originated in the state of Haryana and have subsequently spread to nearby regions. On 31 July 2023, communal violence erupted in the Nuh district of Haryana between Muslims and Hindus during an annual Brajmandal Yatra pilgrimage organised by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), a Hindu nationalist organization. By the evening of the same day, fresh incidents of communal violence were reported from Gurugram and Sohna. As of 3 August 2023, the situation has resulted in at least seven fatalities and over 200 reported injuries.

References

  1. 1 2 "'Get Rs 5cr from Hindu Munnani for damage caused during riot' | Coimbatore News - Times of India". The Times of India. 22 January 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Violence erupts in Coimbatore after mobs protest murder of Hindu Munnani leader". Hindustan Times. 24 September 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  3. 1 2 Yamunan, Sruthisagar. "In Coimbatore, a murder and mob action expose the hate politics of fringe religious groups". Scroll.in. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  4. "CBCID to probe murder of Hindu Munnani activist in Coimbatore". theweek.in. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 Madhav, Pramod (25 September 2016). "Communal tension in Coimbatore, mobs on looting spree, petrol bombs hurled at shop". India Today. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  6. 1 2 "Coimbatore tense as Hindu Munnani man hacked to death". dtNext.in. 24 September 2016. Archived from the original on 27 September 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  7. 1 2 "Communal tension in Coimbatore after Hindu Munnani leader hacked to death". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  8. "Communal flashpoint Coimbatore: Is the TN government doing enough to prevent violence?". in.news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Islamic organisations blame police for violence in Coimbatore". The Hindu. 2 October 2016. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 Subburaj, A. (24 September 2016). "Mobs go on rampage at funeral of Hindu activist in Coimbatore | Coimbatore News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  11. Correspondent, Vikatan (27 September 2016). "கொலை... கொள்ளை... வன்முறை... வேடிக்கை பார்த்த போலீஸ்!". www.vikatan.com/ (in Tamil). Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  12. கோவை மாவட்ட இந்து முன்னணி நிர்வாகி படுகொலை: இறுதி ஊர்வலத்தில் கலவரம்; கடைகள் சூறை. Dinamani (in Tamil). 24 September 2016. Archived from the original on 17 September 2018.
  13. Madhavan, Karthik (23 September 2016). "Murder of Hindu Munnani functionary sparks communal violence in Coimbatore". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  14. "Hindu Munnani functionary hacked to death, bandh turns violent". India Today. 23 September 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  15. "Hindu Munnani functionary succumbs to burns". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  16. "Bandh called by Hindu Munnani turns violent". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 23 September 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  17. "Hindu activist's murder: After riots, calm in Coimbatore". mid-day. 25 September 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  18. "Coimbatore violence: CCTV footage of Muslim man's mobile phone shop being looted". www.thenewsminute.com. 25 September 2016. Archived from the original on 26 September 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  19. "Get Rs 5cr from Hindu Munnani for damage caused during riot". NYOOOZ. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  20. Ananth, M.K. (26 September 2016). "Coimbatore unrest: 650 arrested". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  21. "Coimbatore bandh: More than 100 protesters of Hindu Munnani arrested for rioting after murder of their leader". India.com. 24 September 2016. Archived from the original on 25 September 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  22. Karthikeyan (27 September 2016). "சசிகுமார் கொலை.. கோவை கலவரத்திற்கு காரணமான 305 இந்து முன்னணியினர் சிறையில் அடைப்பு". tamil.oneindia.com (in Tamil). Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  23. "Funeral procession violence: 2 BJP cadres slapped with Goondas Act | Coimbatore News - Times of India". The Times of India. 17 October 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  24. "Not all attacks on Hindu leaders communal: Tamil Nadu DGP". The Hindu. 26 July 2013. ISSN   0971-751X. Archived from the original on 11 September 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  25. Yamunan, Sruthisagar (27 September 2016). "In Coimbatore, a murder and mob action expose the hate politics of fringe religious groups". Scroll.in. Retrieved 31 March 2020.