By Kavitha Iyer
Mumbai: On 7 April 2023, a silver Toyota Innova slowed in Naya Nagar, a densely populated Muslim neighbourhood of Mira-Bhayander, a suburb 40 km north of Mumbai.
It was only 4:30 am, but the Shams Masjid lane was busy, as it always was on Ramzan mornings, residents making purchases at Usman Mithaiwala, Shandar Zaika and a clutch of other local favourites before the fajr (pre dawn) prayer and the beginning of the day’s fast.
The SUV turned into a lane beside the mosque, then immediately turned around and emerged from the Shams Masjid lane where it pulled up.
Three men were in the car. One rolled down a window, looked pointedly towards the Muslim mosque-goers and shouted provocative Islamophobic comments. Before policemen along the partially barricaded road could reach it, the car sped away.
A first information report (FIR) was filed in the case under section 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, against unidentified accused. It was one of three very similar incidents in Mira-Bhayander that Ramzan, provocations, said locals, to riots that did not occur.
This story was originally published in article-14.com. Read the full story here.