On the evening of Sunday, 16th June, tension gripped several residential areas in Mira Road, a locality in Maharashtra’s Mumbai district. The conflict arose in JP North Celeste society and Hill Galaxy where it was reported that some Muslim families had brought goats intended for slaughter onto the premises. This action led to significant unrest, with Hindu residents voicing strong opposition to the practice of animal slaughter within their building complex. "The Hindus were also threatened and women were abused as they strongly protested against animal slaughter inside society premises," as per eyewitness accounts.

In response to these events, the aggrieved Hindu residents swiftly lodged an official complaint with the Kashigaon Police. Despite their prompt action, "no FIR has yet been registered," leaving the residents in a state of uncertainty and seeking justice.

Further details emerged from OpIndia, which highlighted a specific incident at JP North Celeste society on the same evening. One Muslim family had brought goats into the society in anticipation of the upcoming Bakrid festival. This action sparked immediate objections from neighboring Hindu families. "The Hindu families stated that getting goats into the society was not allowed as per the society’s rules." Initially, the Muslim family appeared receptive to these concerns, yet ultimately, they "refused to remove the goats from society."

The Hindu residents of Mira Road escalated their concerns by seeking the support of local Hindu groups and informing the police of the ongoing issue. In a demonstration of their unrest, they launched a protest and directly questioned the Muslim family involved about whether they had obtained permission from the society to bring goats into the premises for slaughter. The family acknowledged bringing the goat but stated they "had no intention to execute the slaughter within the premises."

Further questioning revealed that no medical examination had been performed on the goat prior to its entry into the society. This lack of health screening prompted the local Hindu groups to call for the immediate removal of the goats, citing concerns for the civic health of the residents. Despite these escalating tensions, the official complaint lodged at the Kashigao Police Station had not yet progressed to the registration of an FIR.

The content of the complaint was explicit and underscored the gravity of the community's grievances. It stated, "The Muslims have illegally got a goat to slaughter in the building premise. For the last 4 days, they have been asked to remove the goats even by the Police authorities, but they have blatantly refused to remove them from society. Several Hindu families reside on the premises and slaughtering an animal in the society premises is not acceptable." This situation highlights a deep-seated conflict over community norms and legal compliance.

The complaint from the Hindu residents further highlighted discrepancies in the narrative surrounding the goat slaughter issue within the Mira Road society premises. According to the complaint, the Muslim families involved had submitted an undertaking letter to the police claiming a mutual agreement between Hindus and Muslims that permitted the entry of goats into the society for slaughter. However, the Hindu residents countered this claim, stating "This is all a hidden conspiracy. No such agreement has been signed. Society rules do not permit goat slaughter here. We object to this." Their statement underlined a clear denial of any such agreement and reaffirmed their stance against the slaughter within the society premises.

In a related incident at a neighboring society, on the same day, tensions similarly flared at JP North Celeste society’s adjacent complex, Hill Galaxy. Here, a Sikh family was commemorating the death anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru, with a peaceful distribution of 'sarbat prasadam' to locals. The event took an uneasy turn when Sikh participants observed Muslims allegedly bringing 14 goats into the society for slaughter. Upon inquiry, the Muslims reportedly misled the Sikh women by claiming they were taking the goats out of the society.

The situation escalated when a Sikh woman protested, pointing out that the Muslim families had not only brought their personal goats for slaughter but were now introducing an additional four goats illegally. The confrontation grew heated as the Muslims responded with derogatory comments towards the Hindu religion, reportedly stating, "We will get the goats. Do whatever you can. Hinduo ke m ki ch**,"** as relayed by a local Hindu activist.

In a continuation of the tense situation in Mira Road, a Sikh woman shared her distress with the media, detailing the ongoing issues within the society premises. She expressed frustration over a recurring problem, stating, "They have been slaughtering animals within the society premises for the last 4 years and we keep on protesting every year. This year also they got the goats and we protested. However, then they abused women and demeaned, and insulted the Hindu religion," as also reported by local media outlets.

The woman further explained that they had sought police intervention in the matter but were instructed that a formal complaint needed to be filed at the police station before any legal action could be initiated against the Muslims involved. "The police were already deployed in the area due to the issue at JP North Celeste society. Some of the police authorities even heard Muslims hurling abuses at women. Later, after a major argument here and insult caused to Hindus, the police were personally called. However, they said that an official complaint was necessary for any action to be taken against the Muslims," she elaborated on the complications they faced in seeking justice.

The conflict eventually led to police action; after considerable dispute and public outcry, the authorities detained the accused individuals responsible for hurling abuses. The police assured the community that strict action would be taken against those who had violated the peace and dignity of the society's residents.

Lord Ganesha Abused by Accused Muslims, Hindus Threatened Saying Goats Will Be Slaughtered Within the Society

Tensions continued to escalate in the Hill Galaxy apartments as another serious complaint was lodged at the Kashigaon police station on June 17th. The complaint outlined a confrontation where one resident, identified as Vajud and his associates, allegedly insulted Hindus who protested against the illegal slaughter of goats within the society premises. The complaint, accessed by the media, detailed threats made by the Muslims involved: "Do whatever you can. We will slaughter animals here only, within the society premises. Hinduo ke m ki ch**,"** as purportedly stated by Vajud, according to the complaint, which has not yet been processed into an FIR.

The conflict intensified with accusations that Vajud also insulted religious sentiments by targeting Lord Ganesha. The complaint quoted him saying: "You people celebrate the Ganesh festival. Do we say anything then? We feel enraged and feel like puking when we see your Lord Ganesha. We will see how you celebrate your Ganesh festival here," thereby escalating the religious and cultural tensions within the community.

Further complications were noted in the complaint regarding the response from the builders, R R Builders, managed by Rasool Shaikh, Irfan Shaikh, Junaid Shaikh, and Jabbar Shaikh. The complaint stated that after Hindus were abused by one of the Muslim residents, they sought intervention from the builders. However, the builders were allegedly unhelpful, with one stating: "The builder said that he was out of the city and that he could not come to resolve the matter. He has also allowed construction of illegal Masjid in the building premise," as per the complaint.

This series of events has led to increased unrest within the community, with a local Hindu activist reporting that the complaint would be officially submitted to the Kashigaon Police today, in hopes that an FIR will finally be registered.

Construction of Illegal Masjid in the Building

In the latest developments at the JP North Celesta and Hill Galaxy societies, there has been significant discontent over the construction of a Masjid in a space that was initially promised for different community use. According to exclusive information obtained by the media, the builder, Rasool Sheikh, initially sold houses to Hindus but subsequently, the majority of the remaining units were acquired by Muslims. Currently, in both societies, only about 15-20 out of 130-150 houses each are occupied by Hindu families, while the rest are predominantly Muslim residences.

A particularly contentious issue arose in the Hill Galaxy apartment complex, where the initial promise made by Rasool was to dedicate a communal space for a gym or a club. However, this space was later converted into a Masjid. A Sikh woman, who had previously reported abuse by Muslim residents, expressed her distress: "The Masjid was constructed 4 years ago here. And we were not asked, nor informed about the Masjid. While booking the flat we were told that the space would be utilized for the gym but now the builder has allowed the construction of a Masjid here. People from other societies also come here to offer Namaz and it becomes uncomfortable for us," she said.

Further complicating matters, the complaint to the police highlighted ongoing disruptions within the society linked to the Masjid. It detailed that the influx of Muslims from outside the society to offer Namaz in the illegally built Masjid has been a source of continual disturbance. The complaint elaborated on the lack of governance within the community: "The builder doesn’t listen to us as the majority of the families living here are Muslims. There is no society rule, no mutual respect here. Hindus are just harassed every coming day. We want police to look into the matter," it read, encapsulating the Hindu residents' plea for official intervention.

Hindu Activists Abused, Beaten, and Assaulted

Tensions have not subsided in the ongoing disputes within JP North Celesta and Hill Galaxy societies over the practice of slaughtering goats. During an interaction with the local media, a Hindu activist recounted the physical assaults faced by Hindu protesters: "This is illegal. Slaughter of animals within the society is illegal. We understand it is your religion and you have complete freedom to follow it. But the society does not allow the slaughter of goats within the premises. There are other religious people who live here and feel uncomfortable and hurt seeing animals slaughtered. They should go to slaughterhouses authorized by BMC and cut the goats, not here in the society," he stated, emphasizing the legal and communal sensitivities violated by such actions.

Another activist highlighted the regulatory ambiguity that contributes to these conflicts, stating, "They don’t have anything to prove that slaughtering of goats in the society is illegal or is not allowed. Further, it is a Muslim majority society so it becomes easy for them to harass Hindus. In the case of JP North, the Muslims have given an undertaking to the police saying that they can get and slaughter the goats in society as a ‘mutual agreement’ has been signed between Hindus and Muslims. But no such agreement has been signed as stated firmly by the Hindu residents," clearly disputing the claims of a mutual agreement.

The situation is further complicated by the police's stance, as described by the same activist: "The police have been deployed in the area but they have been asking Hindus to maintain calm. The authorities initially threatened the Hindus saying now they (Muslims) have got 2 goats, and tomorrow they’ll get 10. Do you want that? If not, please maintain calm," he revealed. This response from law enforcement suggests a delicate balancing act, urging calm while acknowledging the potential for escalating tensions.

According to local reports, the police have informed Hindu residents that Muslims are allowed to keep goats in their houses, as the society does not have a specific livestock policy. However, they assured that no slaughter would take place within the society premises. The community is currently waiting for further police action.

In a quest for updates, media contacted Senior PI Rahul Patil, but the responses received did not provide any satisfactory answers. During this period, misinformation is being spread by Islamists on social media, falsely claiming that the Hindus caused a disturbance in JP North Celesta society on June 16th.

BJP MLA Geeta Jain Confirmed the Incident, Says No Slaughter Would Take Place

BJP MLA from the Mira Bhayander region, Geeta Jain, spoke exclusively to the media, confirming the incident. She reported that goats had been brought into the society premises for illegal slaughter. However, she noted that "the timely intervention of the police and local politicians stopped the execution of slaughter."

Geeta Jain, the BJP MLA, strongly condemned the incident during her conversation with the media, particularly highlighting the abuse faced by Hindu women at the hands of Muslims. She stated emphatically, "This is not at all tolerable. People live together in a society and they should respect each other. Those who hurled abuses at the women, those who insulted the Hindu religion have been taken into custody by the police. We demand strict action against the accused persons," underscoring her demand for firm legal measures.

Jain also addressed the broader pattern of harassment in the Mira Road region, where Hindus have been targeted for their religious identity. "We are taking steps to curb such incidents. The frequency of such incidents is increasing and it’s alarming," she noted, expressing concern over the escalating nature of such conflicts. Regarding the police response to the current situation, she acknowledged ongoing efforts but indicated dissatisfaction with the level of action taken. "The police are cooperating however not to the extent as expected by the Hindu residents or local Hindu activists. Police need to take strict action against the accused persons. They are trying to pacify the matter to avoid any communal occurrence. However, they have assured that no slaughter would take place within the society premises," Jain concluded, calling for a stronger response to ensure communal harmony and legal adherence.

Why do Muslims Slaughter Animals on Bakrid?

Muslims annually engage in the slaughtering of livestock during the festival of Eid, a practice they believe was initiated by the Prophet Muhammad himself. The animals are killed using the Halal method, after which the meat is distributed among family members and others.

This ritual honors the story of Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismaeel, as an act of obedience to God. According to Islamic tradition, God intervened at the last moment, substituting Ismaeel with an animal for sacrifice. This event is the foundation for the celebration of Bakrid, or Eid-ul-Adha, which Muslims observe annually by sacrificing an animal to honor Allah. The festival spans three days and typically includes the sacrifices of goats and sheep, along with the performance of namaz.

Similar Incident was Reported Last Year

Mira Road and the Bhayander area in Maharashtra’s Mumbai district have repeatedly been spotlighted for communal tensions. In June 2023, a significant controversy unfolded when a Muslim family in a Mira Road society brought two goats into their complex just before Bakrid. The society members objected, explicitly stating they would not permit any slaughtering activities within the premises.

The opposition from residents escalated to protests, during which they chanted Hanuman Chalisa and raised slogans like 'Jai Shree Ram'. These events were captured on video and subsequently went viral, highlighting the deep-seated tensions and the contentious nature of religious practices within communal living spaces.

The situation escalated when the couple involved took the goats into their apartment, prompting immediate police intervention. The officers who arrived on the scene worked to maintain peace and communal harmony, reassuring other residents that no slaughtering would occur within the society premises.

While the police clarified that there were no specific rules or laws prohibiting bringing animals into private residences, they emphasized that the family would face arrest if they proceeded to slaughter the animals within their apartment or anywhere on the society premises. Details on this case have been further elaborated in available reports.

In another serious incident that occurred in January 2024, communal tensions flared violently in Mira Road, Mumbai. During rallies celebrating the return of Lord Ram to Ayodhya, Hindus were attacked by Islamists wielding stones, iron rods, sticks, and bamboo. This assault resulted in injuries to over a dozen participants.

Furthermore, the incident saw severe disrespect shown towards Hindu religious symbols. Islamists reportedly tore flags bearing images of Lord Hanuman and committed acts of desecration by vomiting over them, deeply offending Hindu religious sentiments. In response to these actions, police took around 13 individuals into custody. However, due to the sensitive nature of the case, Investigating Officer Dilip Rakh refrained from disclosing specific details about the accused.

The controversy escalated further when videos of the incident went viral online. In these videos, Islamists were seen attacking cars while shouting 'Allah-hu-Akbar', using iron rods and sticks against Hindus. Additionally, distressing footage showing women being attacked also circulated on social media platforms, intensifying public outrage.

In response to the unrest, local police and administration took decisive action against those involved in the violence. They demolished the illegal properties of Islamists residing on Mira Road who had participated in the stone pelting. This demolition was carried out under the supervision of the Maharashtra Security Force and the Mumbai Police, effectively removing the illegal constructions linked to the perpetrators involved in the Mira Road clash.

Previously, the outlet Satyaagrah reported several distressing incidents where Hindu girls in the Mira Road area were allegedly targeted by Muslims, leading to cases of rape and forced conversion to Islam. Hindu activists have expressed concerns that such incidents of 'Love Jihad' have been increasing, yet they claim that these issues are being overlooked by the administration. Further details on these cases are available in specific reports.

Currently, a complaint has been filed by the Hindu residents concerning these series of events, but the FIR is still pending. The community is now awaiting rigorous enforcement of the law and appropriate police action to address these ongoing issues.