"Police ransacked our houses, took money," cry Khalapaar residents

"The policemen barged inside our houses, climbed on our beds and broke down the almirahs, bulbs and wall clocks with their batons. We with joined hands kept pleading them to stop but they were in no mood to listen. They smashed our washing machine, wash basin and whatever that came in their way," cried Sarwari, a widow in Khalapaar locality of Muzaffarnagar, UP.

The Uttar Pradesh Police conducted a raid on Wednesday afternoon in this particular area that left the localities frightened to an extent that they chained their houses.

The UP police were on a lookout for men involved in the attack on police team a day after Eid.

The cops had picked up few men for alleged cow slaughter on Tuesday.

The locals of Khalapaar, predominantly a 'Quershi' community stated that what followed was a nightmare. "The cops barged in our houses in search of the absconding men and went on a rampage", the locals echoed.

"They broke our things, abused us and also took away the money kept inside a box in the almirah. There were no men at home and our children kept pleading them 'Uncle ji, aisa mat karo' (Uncle, please stop this) but instead, they threatened us that they would ruin the lives of our children," sobbed Sarwari's sister-in-law, Shamsheeda.

When Millennium Post visited Khalapaar on Thursday, Shamsheeda showed us the broken glass pieces scattered on the floor, broken wash basin, smashed wall clocks and a destroyed stabiliser kept on the terrace. "They looted us of the money kept in this steel box," said Shamsheeda pointing to the empty can.

Following the rampage, the entire locality shut down with several houses being locked with chains. The children also lead us to some wooden doors which were destroyed by the cops.

Ruksana who resides a few houses away in Khalapaar, cautiously asked our introduction before letting us in. Covering herself with dupatta, she narrated her ordeal. "Why did the police break my RO and washing machine? Do they think our men hid in the washing machine? We were scared when they banged the batons all over."

The locals denied the cow slaughtering charges and stated that a lady also sustained pellet injuries in alleged police firing. Now, she is said to be out of danger.

However, the SSP Muzaffarnagar Anant Dev refuting the allegations, said, "No ransacking was done by police. Some men broke the police vehicle and we have arrested 10 people. More arrests might follow as we have got clear footage of the incident."