A Jamia Millia Islamia alumni becomes a victim of hate crime hardly a mile from the university

By: Majid Alam

On the 15th August, the day of Independence, a shocking incident took place in Sarai Julena, hardly two kilometres from Jamia Millia Islamia. Daud Arif, an alumnus of Jamia Millia Islamia, who lived in one of the apartments in Julena was physically harassed by a group of 5-6 people outside his house at the fifth floor.

In a Facebook live, Daud Arif narrated the entire incident. The incident took place as a group of boys including the landowner’s relatives were celebrating for the Independence Day. These people were drinking and taking drugs since the morning. These people were also playing music at loud voices. But the incident unfolded after Daud realised that one of them had urinated at his door.

He brought the matter politely to the landowner. When the landowner scolded the boys for their behaviour, the boys got violent and started pushing him. The landowner intervened and tried to protect him. Two of them said, “Tu masalman haina tujhe mar dalege aur hmara kuch bhi nahi hoga” (You are a muslim, We could do anything to you without getting caught). They started pushing him very close to the boundary wall. According to Daud, the landowner and his son tried to intervene and save him. Daud while talking to Aapka Times said, “The nature of the incident could not be seen in isolation. You are being forced to ghettoized.”

Daud called the Police but the PCR didn’t come to his rescue. Finally Daud went to the New Friends Colony Police Station to register an FIR. The Police suggested him not to file an FIR as the method could be lengthy and complex. Daud later said, “I did not register the FIR as I don’t have the resources to do it.” Daud had asked for Police Protection while vacating his room. Daud had currently shifted to a guesthouse.

Daud doesn’t know how to go about the incident in the future. He points out, “I am a victim; I don’t know how to go about it. I have been in trauma since the last two days.” Daud is disturbed and did not want to talk about the incident. The incident as it unfolded that day could have been another case of hate crime. The incident was unfortunate since it took place at an area which being so close to Jamia Nagar has mixed population.

(Majid Alam is a freelance journalist currently pursuing Masters in Convergent Journalism at Jamia Millia Islamia)

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