A Punch In Elderly's Face For Fixing Skullcap And A Pistol On Prayer Mat: Deadly Attack On Imam Inside Uttar Pradesh Mosque Shocks Muslim Community

Qazmi Masjid Imam Maulana Naeem had a close shave after being shot at inside the mosque as revenge attack for a reprimand inside the mosque.

Meerut (Uttar Pradesh): On Tuesday, October 1, Sartaj, a youth from Rihaan Colony in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut was offering day prayers inside Qazmi mosque in nearby Summer Garden Shahjahan Colony when an elderly local, Abba Aziz straightened his skullcap. Agitated by the gesture, Sartaj at once punched Aziz in his face, which welled up with a stream of blood.

Qazmi Masjid Imam, Maulana Naeem, 40, a resident of Muralipur in Kankarkheda, intervened and reprimanded Sartaj for his disrespect of Aziz as the latter's family also roughed up Sartaj.

Pent Up Grudge

In the wee hours on Sunday, as worshipers emptied the Qazmi Masjid, Sartaj burst on the scene wielding two pistols and fired two shots at Maulana Naeem, who was busy teaching Urdu to children through online mode. One bullet grazed Naeem's head in a close shave for the Imam.

As Naeem and one of his disciples raised an alarm, Sartaj fled from the spot leaving behind one of his pistols, which fell on the praying mat. Naeem was immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment where he is said to be stable.

The pistol left behind by accused Sartaj after shooting mosque Imam in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh (ETV Bharat)

It is learnt that accused Sartaj had developed a grudge against Maulana Naeem after Tuesday's reprimand inside the mosque and had been looking for a chance to attack him since then. It is said that Sartaj also conducted a recce of the mosque to look for ripe timing of the attack, which he finally executed on Sunday.

Dramatic Arrest

SP City Ayush Vikram Singh said that efforts were being made to arrest Sartaj, but Meerut police received information from Delhi Police that they had arrested Sartaj for possessing “illegal pistol” on the Delhi-UP border while he was trying to escape. Police have already registered a case into the incident following a complaint into the horrific attack.

Because Sartaj has carried out a deadly attack in Meerut, the police are trying to bring him to Meerut from Delhi, Singh said. It is learnt that Sartaj is into cloth business and left home some time ago due to his short-tempered behaviour.