Delhi Mosque Goers Witness Ghastly Attack By Angry Mob; Area Gets Burned Down

U.S. President Trump’s visit to India on Tuesday coincided with a brazen riot that broke out within the premises of a mosque in Ashok Nagar in India’s Capital.

Armed protesters barged into the place of worship and brandished weapons at worshipers, who fled the spot in order to save themselves. The angry mobs allegedly sang praises to a Hindu deity, Jai Shri Ram, before attacking the Imam and killing the muezzin—leading the call to prayer.

The entire area bore a desolated vibe soon after the riot broke out, but eyewitnesses are of the opinion that the violent outburst was a planned move, as the mobs reportedly targeted minority Muslim areas and burned down homes and local businesses. Authorities sprang to action in due course of time and employed tear gasses to disperse the crowds whilst protesters pelted stones at onlookers and set the properties ablaze.

Delhi’s Guru Tej Bahadur Hospital ascertained that the numbers have skyrocketed ever since the violence broke out on Tuesday. At least 200 people succumbed to serious injuries, hospital officials maintained, and the numbers are likely to see a rise in the days to come.

Wednesday morning began on a rather tense note, with Delhi’s riot police patrolled the streets upon the orders of the city’s chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. The deputy commissioner of police believes there have been no further reports of arson.

A curfew was called upon, to check further disturbances. Eyewitnesses, however, are of the opinion that the Delhi Police have turned a blind eye to some of the gnawing atrocities that descended in the Capital at the start of the week.

Speculations are rife that the unrest has been piling on since December when Prime Minister Modi backed the passage of a citizenship amendment law— one that fastracks Indian citizenship to all religious minorities barring Indian Muslims. Pegged as a nationalist agenda that targets and marginalizes Muslims, the law has amassed widespread criticism leaving a section feeling abandoned and they feel victimized at the ruling government’s strategy.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed for peace on Wednesday.“Peace and harmony are central to our ethos. I appeal to my sisters and brothers of Delhi to maintain peace and brotherhood at all times,” Modi tweeted, addressing the crisis that broke. “It is important that there is calm and normalcy is restored at the earliest,” he added.