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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox civilian attack
| title = Azad Maidan riot
| partof = [[2012 Assam violence]]
| image =
| image_size =
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| caption =
| map =
| map_size =
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| location = [[Mumbai]], [[India]]
| target =
| coordinates =
| date = 11 August 2012
| time =
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| type =
| fatalities = 2
| injuries = 54(includes 45 policemen)<ref name="ie1">{{cite news | url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/2-dead-54-hurt-in-mumbai-protest-over-assam-violence/987126/0 | title=2 dead, 54 hurt in Mumbai protest over Assam violence | date=17 August 2012 | newspaper=The Indian Express | accessdate=19 December 2018}}</ref>
| victim =
| perps = Protestors at Azad Maidan
| motive = Photographs and Pamphlets circulated during protest against [[2012 Assam violence]] & [[2012 Rakhine State riots]]
}}

'''Azad Maidan Riot''' refers to a riot by Indian muslims, organised in [[Azad Maidan]] on 11 August 2012 to condemn the Rakhine riots and which started as a protest and later turned into a riot. The riot reportedly began as the crowd got angry either after hearing an inflammatory speech or after seeing photographs of Rakhine state riots. The riot resulted in two deaths and injuries to 63 people including 58 police officers.<ref name="fp-poem">{{cite news|url=http://www.firstpost.com/mumbai/azad-maidan-violence-poem-by-mumbai-cop-sparks-outrage-586986.html|title=Azad Maidan Violence poem by Mumbai cop sparks outrage|work=Firstpost}}</ref> Mumbai Police estimated that the riots caused a loss of {{INR}}2.74 crore in damages to public and private property.

==Background==
{{main|2012 Assam violence}}
The indigenous [[Bodo people|Bodo]] community of Assam alleged that the Muslim population is increasing in [[Assam]] due to the large influx of illegal immigrants from [[Bangladesh]], while the local Muslim community brushed it aside saying that they migrated to Assam during the [[British Raj]]. But, with the increasing population, there arose competition for lands, livelihood and power,<ref name="fp-immigrants">http://www.firstpost.com/india/assam-riots-fruits-of-living-in-denial-over-bangladesh-influx-390536.html ''Firstpost, Jun 25,2012''</ref> which led to [[Assam agitation]]. Both the indigenous people of Assam and Bengali Muslims felt that the Central Government failed to protect both sides.

This ethnic tension between the indigenous Bodo people and Bengali Muslims escalated into a riot in Kokrajhar on 20 July 2012, when unidentified miscreants killed four Bodo youths at Joypur.<ref name="assamtrib">{{cite web|url=http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id%3Djul2212%2Fat05 |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2012-08-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103112348/http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=jul2212%2Fat05 |archive-date=2013-11-03 }} ''Assam Tribune, 21 July 2012''</ref> This was followed by retaliatory attacks on local Muslims killing two and injuring several of them on the morning of 21 July 2012.<ref name="assamtrib" /> The continued riot has consumed 77 people and had displaced more than 4 lakh people.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/in-assam-even-1000-doctors-would-not-be-enough-252323 |title=In Assam, even 1000 doctors would not be enough {{!}} NDTV.com |website=www.ndtv.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811033508/http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/in-assam-even-1000-doctors-would-not-be-enough-252323 |archive-date=2012-08-11}} </ref>

Similar riot was taking place in Burma between the indigenous [[2012 Rakhine State riots|Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims]], where Rohingyas were alleged to be illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

==Rally at Azad Maidan==

To condemn the Assam and Rakhine riots, [[Raza Academy]] organized a protest rally on 11 August 2012. There were reports from intelligence that there had been provocative messages going around via SMS in Mumbai.<ref>http://www.firstpost.com/india/mumbai-violence-reinventing-the-muslim-victimhood-stance-416071.html ''Excerpt of one provocative SMS before Azad Maidan riot, Firstpost, 13 Aug 2012''</ref> A day before the demonstration, police were warned that Friday prayer and gathering had urged a lot of people to turn up for protest.<ref name="ndtv">http://www.ndtv.com/article/cheat-sheet/mumbai-police-allegedly-warned-of-armed-mob-10-big-developments-254127 ''Mumbai police was warned of a big demonstration, NDTV, 13 Aug 2012''</ref> [[Raza Academy]] which had organized the protest had earlier assured the Mumbai Police that only 1500 people will turn up.<ref>http://www.indianexpress.com/news/intel-report-warned-of-mumbai-violence-10-000strong-crowd/987580/ {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref> But on the fateful day, around 15000 people assembled at the [[Azad Maidan]] and the crowd swelled to over 40000 people.<ref name="assam-echoes-mumbai">{{Cite web|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/270900/assam-echoes-mumbai.html|title = Assam echoes in Mumbai|date = 11 August 2012}}</ref>

Police Commissioner Patnaik said the protest turned violent around 3 pm when some members of the crowd began showing "provocative photos" of events in Assam.<ref name="ie1" /> A section of the mob started attacking OB vans and media crew. Rioters soon started torching vehicles, damaging buses and pelting stones towards policemen.<ref name="fp-riot">{{Cite web|url=http://www.firstpost.com/mumbai/assam-riots-protest-2-dead-in-mumbai-cm-orders-probe-415178.html|title=Assam riots protest: 2 killed in Mumbai, CM orders probe-Mumbai News , Firstpost|date=12 August 2012}}</ref> Three OB vans and a police vehicle were set on fire.<ref name="fp-riot" /> And the stone pelting resulted in the damage of a BEST bus, two four-wheelers and five two-wheelers.<ref name="fp-riot" />

A group of rioters then started marching towards the nearby Chaththrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), which was contained successfully by the police nearby.

Police claimed that "at least five woman police constables were molested by mob."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/1726932/report-mumbai-violence-woman-cops-molested-by-rioters|title = Mumbai violence: Woman cops molested by rioters|date = 12 August 2012}}</ref> Also, the injured policemen said the protestors beat them with hockey stick,<ref name="ndtv-policemen">{{cite news|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/mumbai-riots-the-cops-who-fought-a-merciless-mob-255057|title=Mumbai riots: The cops who fought a merciless mob|date=2012-08-15|work=NDTV}}</ref> iron rod,<ref name="ndtv-policemen" /> stones,<ref name="ndtv-policemen" /> wooden mace with nails<ref name="ndtv-policemen" /> and metal rod.<ref name="ndtv-policemen" />

These riots led to panic in the nearby colleges and hospitals. Cama and Albless Hospital and St Xavier’s College went in lock-down mode to prevent rioters from entering their premises.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/1726927/report-mumbai-violence-panic-at-cama-xaviers|title = Mumbai violence: Panic at Cama, Xavier's|date = 12 August 2012}}</ref>

==Desecration of Amar Jawan Jyoti==
Amar Jawan Jyoti memorial, which is a war memorial dedicated to the fighters of the 1857, first Indian freedom struggle, was desecrated by the rioters. Abdul Qadir was arrested later by Mumbai police after finding photos of him desecrating the memorial.
<ref name="NDTV">{{Cite news|author=Rashmi Rajput|title=Rioters who desecrated Amar Jawan Jyoti nabbed|url=https://www.ndtv.com/mumbai-news/rioters-who-desecrated-amar-jawan-jyoti-nabbed-498199|publisher=NDTV|date=2012-08-31}}</ref>

==Arrests==
Within a week of the riots, 43 rioters were arrested in Mumbai.<ref name="fp-arrest">http://www.firstpost.com/mumbai/43-arrested-in-mumbais-azad-maidan-violence-case-426737.html ''43 arrested in Mumbai's Azad Maidan violence case, Firspost, Aug 22,2012''</ref> Investigations were then taken over by Mumbai Crime Branch.<ref>http://www.firstpost.com/india/mumbai-violence-20-arrested-protest-organiser-admits-irresponsible-speech-415212.html ''Investigation taken over by Mumbai Crime Branch, Firstpost, 12 Aug 2012''</ref>

Salim Allarakha Choukiya (Ali), who had snatched a [[self loading Rifle]] from a policeman and is alleged to have fired from it, was arrested on 16 August.<ref>http://www.firstpost.com/mumbai/one-more-arrested-for-mumbais-azad-maidan-violence-420358.html ''Rifle snatcher in Azad Maidan arrested, Firstpost, 16 Aug 2012''</ref> Abdul Quadir Mohammed Younus Ansari was arrested on 28 August in Bihar for damaging the Amar Jawan memorial.<ref name="NDTV"/>

On 9 November 2012, Mumbai Police formally charged 80 people,<ref name="fp-charged">http://www.firstpost.com/mumbai/over-80-charged-in-mumbais-azad-maidan-rioting-case-521089.html ''Over 80 charged in Mumbai’s Azad Maidan rioting case, Firspost, Nov 9,2012''</ref> including Maulana Athar (president of Ulema Board) and Saeed Noori (secretary of [[Raza Academy]]), before Esplanade court in south Mumbai. The charges against some of the accused were criminal conspiracy, murder, damaging public properties, unlawful assembly and indulging in violence.<ref name="fp-charged" /> Police claim that the riots were pre-planned as rioters appeared with rods and petrol for the rally.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=771790 |title=Mumbai Violence Seems Pre-Planned: Police |date=2012-08-12 |work=outlook |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222134930/http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=771790 |archive-date=2014-02-22 }}</ref> The Mumbai police Commissioner was transferred for failing to prevent the riot despite having received prior intelligence inputs.<ref name="fp-poem" />

==Reactions==

* The President of the [[Raza Academy]], Alhaj Mohammed Saeed Noori, said the "miscreants" involved in the violence were not associated with the academy. "Our protest was peaceful," he said.<ref name="ie-raza">{{cite news|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/miscreants-not-associated-with-raza-academy/987245/ |title=Miscreants not associated with Raza Academy|date=2012-08-12| work= Indian Express}}</ref> Noori stated that an "irresponsible" speech had been made during the rally, which the Indian Express claimed, exacerbated tensions.<ref name="ie-raza" />
* On 14 August 2012, [[Bal Thackeray]] chief of [[Shiv Sena]] and editor of [[Saamna]] newspaper published an editorial condemning the Congress-ruled Maharashtra government for "bowing" before "anti-national" rioters. He compared the violence with the [[2008 Mumbai attacks|26/11 terrorist]] attack on Mumbai.<ref name="TOI">{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-14/mumbai/33200753_1_saamna-shiv-sena-muslims |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103192912/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-14/mumbai/33200753_1_saamna-shiv-sena-muslims |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-01-03 |work=[[The Times of India]] |title=When anti-national Muslims held Mumbai to ransom, bullets turned into chocolates: Shiv Sena |date=2012-08-19 }}</ref>

===Controversial poem===
A female traffic police Inspector wrote a poem in a local police bulletin of Mumbai. The poem title ''Azad Maidan'' was published in Mumbai city police bulletin, ''Samwad''. According to Times of India, she had called Azad Maidan protestors as traitors and snakes and had suggested that they should have been shot. This poem was met with criticism from activists and former city police commissioner alike. Film Director and producer [[Mahesh Bhatt]] questioned the source of hatred for minority from police and also asked to put police force in psychiatric couch.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Activists-up-in-arms-about-Mumbai-cops-poem-on-Azad-Maidan-riot/articleshow/18014257.cms|title=Activists up in arms about Mumbai cop's poem on Azad Maidan riot|date=2013-01-14|work=Times of India}}</ref>

In reaction to the criticisms, the journal Samwad apologised for publishing the poem.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.firstpost.com/mumbai/mumbai-police-journal-prints-apology-for-cops-poem-on-azad-maiden-violence-598574.html|title=Mumbai Police journal prints apology for cop's poem on Azad Maiden violence|date=2013-01-23|work=Firstpost}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Riots in India}}

[[Category:2012 riots]]
[[Category:Riots and civil disorder in India]]
[[Category:2012 disasters in India]]
[[Category:History of Mumbai (1947–present)]]
[[Category:Crime in Mumbai]]
[[Category:Islamism in India]]
[[Category:Muslim politics in India]]
[[Category:2010s in Mumbai]]
[[Category:2012 murders in Asia]]
[[Category:2012 murders in India]]

Azad Maidan riots - Revision history

UpdateBot at 09:02, 28 May 2022