Pune: FIR against 10 after mob calls Kargil veteran's family 'Bangladeshis' in midnight raid

Pune city

Pune police have filed an FIR against six named individuals and four to five unidentified accomplices after a retired Kargil War veteran’s family alleged they were harassed by a mob of 30-40 people demanding proof of citizenship during a late-night raid. No arrests have been made yet, said ACP Manoj Patil, TOI reported.

The incident occurred around 11.30 pm on Saturday in Chandan Nagar when the mob forcibly entered the home of Hakimuddin Shaikh, 58, a retired Naik Havildar who served in the Army’s 269 Engineer Regiment from 1984 to 2000. According to the family, the intruders kicked down the door, shouted religious slogans and threatened to brand them as "Bangladeshi or Rohingya" unless they produced documents.

Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar met the family on Wednesday and assured "strictest action" against those responsible. "We have recorded fresh statements and will invoke relevant sections of law in the existing FIR," he told reporters. Kumar denied allegations that members of an outfit arrived in a police van.

The FIR, registered at Chandan Nagar police station, includes charges of unlawful assembly, intimidation and trespassing. However, authorities have yet to confirm whether the accused belong to any specific group.

The family’s ties to the Indian Army span generations. Shamshad’s uncle, Hakimuddin, is a retired Bombay Sappers soldier who served in the 1999 Kargil War. Other relatives include Subedar Majors who fought in the 1965 and 1971 wars and a former DGP of Madhya Pradesh. Irshad Ahmad, another uncle, shared Army IDs and pension documents with The Indian Express, emphasising their 130-year history of military service.

He expressed anguish over being asked for proof of citizenship after their sacrifices for the nation. Ahmad also questioned why the police summoned them at 2 am, asking whether they were being treated as criminals or terrorists.

Shamshad Shaikh, who resides at the raided house, said the mob dismissed their Aadhaar and voter IDs as "fake" before police took them to the station. Inspector Seema Dhakne allegedly warned them to return the next morning or be "declared Bangladeshis." Dhakne remained unavailable for comment.

Deputy Commissioner Somay Munde earlier claimed the raid followed a tip-off about "illegal Bangladeshis," but Commissioner Kumar later suggested the mob’s actions and police checks happened "almost simultaneously."

NCP leader Pradeep Deshmukh condemned the incident, stating that no one should take the law into their own hands. He stressed that a family with a history of military service did not deserve such treatment and urged police to take action if the allegations against the mob were proven false.