The Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court comprising justice Mangesh Patil and Justice SG Chapalgaonkar has directed the Maharashtra State Police to not conduct mock drills depicting Muslims as terrorists till the next hearing.
A division bench passed the order while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by social worker Sayed Usama. The order was passed on February 3.
In his petition, Usama had argued that mock drills were being conducted by the police in Ahmednagar during which personnel dress up as men from the Muslim community to play the role of terrorists.
He also alleged they shouted religious slogans as part of the mock drill.
The conduct of aforesaid mock drills wherein a Muslim community is deliberately shown as ‘terrorist’ by the police authorities and the state clearly shows their bias against Muslim community, the petitioner Usmana said in his plea,
It sends a message that terrorists have a particular religion and this act of the police amounts to defaming the Muslim community.
During the hearing the bench ordered the state government to apprise the court of any guidelines for holding the mock drills.
It also directed the public prosecutor to take instructions on the matter.
