Group of men try to enforce 'shariat' on women shopping alone

Bhopal: A group of Muslim youths made an unsuccessful bid to enforce "Shariat" on women shopping alone in the markets of Bhopal, leading to a brawl with shopkeepers on Sunday.

The youth were trying to put into practice the preachings of the City Qazi, who had advised women against shopping alone or without purdah (veil).

Inspired by the sermon, some youth went on a rampage, asking women to go home. When the women refused to accept their firman, the youth attacked shop keepers with scissors and looted their shops.

The incident took place at Chowk Bazzar here on Sunday. The police, however, registered a case of loot against 12 unidentified persons in Kotwali police station based on a complaint lodged by a shop keeper.

The frenzied action from the youths, according to community members, was the outcome of a 'misunderstanding.'

Earlier, in his sermon the Shahar Qazi Mufti Syed Fazil Qasmi appealed to the community members to avoid sending females alone in the market for Ramzan shopping. - Source: DNA

He also encouraged Muslim women to go for shopping accompanied by a male member from the family and also advised them to use veil.

Reacting to the incident, the cleric said the youths misread his sermon.

"I had delivered the sermon in the light of Hadith and never asked anyone to stop a woman from shopping alone," he said.

Senior superintendent of police Adarsh Katiyar said: "We registered case of loot against 12 unidentified persons. So far, no one has been arrested."