Rajasthan’s Vijay Nagar municipal authorities, on February 20 and 21, served a notice to families of 10 Muslims, accused in an alleged sexual assault case, demanding property ownership documents, failing which their houses will be bulldozed. Municipal authorities also served notice to a 100-year-old Rajnagar Jama Masjid mosque.
The notice read: If the documents are not presented, the municipality will conduct the action of removing illegal constructions/encroachments, and all the expenses would be realised from the families of the accused. Otherwise, after the stipulated time period, action will be taken under the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 2009, for which you yourself will be responsible.
Why are the properties being targeted?
On February 16, Vijay Nagar city police in Beawar district arrested 10 Muslim men including seven adults and three minors on accusations of sexually assaulting and blackmailing five local minor Hindu girls. The FIRs were registered under the POCSO Act and relevant sections of the BNS.
According to the reports, the accused lured the minor girls using gifts including mobile phones and exploited them sexually.
The incident came to light after families of the young victims reported to the local authorities, sparking huge unrest, with several Hindutva outfit groups staging protests and calling it a case of “love jihad.” The radical Hindu groups demanded immediate “bulldozer action” against the accused men.
Police stated the victims revealed disturbing experiences of being coerced into Islamic practices, including fasting and prayers. One of the victims recounted being threatened with violence by the accused for not following Islamic religious obligations.
Following the arrest of the accused, the Vijay Nagar municipality reportedly served the notices.
We will fully cooperate, says the accused brother
The notices were issued to the Muslim families and the mosque on February 20, three days after the arrest.
Speaking to The Wire, the brother of one of the accused said that they will fully cooperate with the police and if his brother is found guilty then appropriate punishment should be meted as per law.
“We fully cooperated with the police and presented our brother before the officials. Whether he is innocent or guilty is to be decided by the law and court. But it is unfair that our houses are being targeted. We have all the requisite documents and are submitting them before the authorities. We fear that demolition would be conducted by unfairly targeting us. We have not committed any crime,” the brother of one of the accused who works as a mechanic was quoted by The Wire.
Mosque targeted for no reason, opines locals
Akhatyar Ali, a government school teacher said that bringing the local mosque under demolition will add communal disharmony.
“What purpose is being served by asking a 100-year-old mosque about proof of its ownership? Deliberately a religious colour is being given to the crime,” he said.
He further said that the notices were served following intense pressure from the Hindutva groups. “We have never seen such a disruption of communal harmony in Vijay Nagar. No member of the Muslim community is standing with the accused and we have condemned the crime. But the administration is under pressure from Hindutva groups and because of that reason, the notices are being issued,” Akhatyar Ali was quoted by The Wire.
Apart from the 100-year-old mosque, notice has been sent to a local graveyard.
Activists condemn
Activists have condemned these notices, arguing that the demolition violates the Supreme Court’s ruling from November 13, 2024. However, the officials have defended their actions claiming these notices followed normal legal processes and the notices were issued to address potential encroachments.
Public rage continues to intensify while Beawar remains under high tension due to the alleged crimes and municipal interventions.
Follow on Twitter | Edited by Veena Nair | 
