A month later, some Muslim families return to Purola, others put up houses for sale

While several Muslim residents of Purola, who were forced to leave the town in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district last month following communal tension, have returned, a few others have put up their houses on sale and vowed not to come back

While several Muslim residents of Purola, who were forced to leave the town in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district last month following communal tensions, have returned, a few others have put up their houses for sale and vowed not to come back.

Trouble began on May 26 after an alleged attempt to abduct a 15-year-old Hindu girl by two youth, Ubaid and Jitendra Saini, who were caught by locals and booked by the police under the POCSO Act.

Though the accused were arrested the same day, the incident angered several right-wing groups, which staged protests and allegedly stuck posters asking members of the minority community to leave the town. The groups also called for a mahapanchayat on June 15, which was withdrawn at the last minute amid efforts by the administration to maintain peace.

Mohammad Saleem, who ran a garment store in the town and fled to Dehradun with his family, has put up his house in Purola for sale. He said he does not want to return as he fears for his family’s safety. “There is nothing left for us in that town,” he said.

Mohammed Zahid, the BJP minority morcha chief in Uttarkashi who also fled to Dehradun after the protests, said he has decided to shut down his businesses in Purola.

Munna Khan, a vegetable seller who is among several Muslim tenants reportedly evicted by their Hindu landlords, is desperate to get back his rent deposit of ₹3 lakh. “I had to leave in a hurry, leaving my stock of fruits and vegetables worth ₹2 lakh to rot. I am jobless now and don’t have any money to start afresh,” said Mr. Khan, who has moved to Vikas Nagar, 90 km from Purola.

However, Dharam Singh Negi, 82, the oldest practising lawyer in the town, has refused to succumb to pressure from right-wing groups to evict his Muslim tenants. “The tension was created by local traders who are scared of losing their business to Muslims who sell at cheaper rates,” he said.