"It was a planned attack, accused were carrying hockey sticks", one of the Kashmiri women said
Two days after three women and a man were allegedly surrounded and thrashed by residents at a colony in south east Delhi, the Home Ministry today said the incident had nothing to do with the fact that the family belongs to Jammu and Kashmir. It was a dispute over feeding of stray dogs, it said.
"It was a local issue. The complainant is avid dog lover and animal rights activist. There have been more than 50 complaints and counter complaints against the residents of Siddarth Enclave and the complainant on the issue of feeding of stray dogs. A dispute over feeding of stray dogs took place," the Home Ministry said.
"A police complaint has been registered on the complaint of complainant at Police Station Sunlight Colony. Delhi Police informed that four people have been arrested in this connection so far - one guard and three local residents - based on evidence of CCTV footage," the ministry added.
A video clip of the incident had gone viral on social media, showing a wounded woman, her back to a car, screaming as she was beaten with hockey sticks. Men and women shouted abuses instead of coming to her rescue.
The group that was assaulted has told the police that the harassment had started months ago, when neighbours allegedly targeted the men and women for being Kashmiri and shouted "kashmiri ugrawaadi (extremist)" at them. The group was repeatedly asked to leave the neighbourhood.
Thursday night, they were cornered by around 40 people, they alleged.
One of the Kashmiri women had said: "My sisters were abused and beaten up. I have a broken left hand and one of my guests who had come to visit us was also attacked. It was a planned attack and the accused were carrying hockey sticks."
A neighbour had given a different version, saying one of the Kashmiri men "misbehaved with women" and the fight started because of it.