In the Parbhani district of Maharashtra, a Muslim teenager reportedly assaulted a mob of over 10-15 people who beat them and forced them to say Jai Sri Ram. The incidents occurred on February 11 when the first victim, 19-year-old Irfan Pathan was sitting with some friends at a park. According to NewsLaundry, the second-year polytechnic student at Shivaji College in Parbhani, was suddenly attacked by the men while enjoying an evening with friends in Rajagopalachari Garden. After the incident, as per NewsLaundry, Irfan stated that a mob of 15-20 men came at around 7 pm. They reportedly first asked him his name, to which he replied, and then started abusing him with religious slurs and beating him.
“They first slapped my face, and eventually began punching and kicking me. Then they began forcing me to say ‘Jai Shri Ram’” Irfan shared in an interview with NewsLaundry.
They continued beating him only after Irfan’s friends, Awez and Rohan, called the park’s security personnel came and tried to save him.
Afraid for his life and fearful that the situation would worsen, Irfan did not to file a police complaint and immediately made to leave for his village. Although Irfan could not identify who his attackers were, he pointed out that a neighbour named Aniket had previously inquired about his whereabouts as he headed to the park.
The incident was shot on camera by one of the attackers and uploaded with a song in the background that is reportedly called ‘Kattar Hindi, badla to lenge.’
The Hate Detectors account on the social media site X also shared a video of a group of saffron clad men assaulting a Muslim fruit vendor. This incident was also reportedly recorded by the same individuals, as per a report by Times of India, and each reportedly occurred within a span of 30 minutes of each other.
NewsLaundry reported that the cart vendor named, Sayyed Muddasheer, stated that they came and overturned his cart after which they asked him to chant Jai Sri Ram which he refused.
The Parbhani police has reportedly registered an FIR for the two separate incidents against the same group of people. One of the arrested is reportedly a 20 year old nursing student who is a local resident native to Parbhani named Vishal Nagre. The police have booked the suspects on charges of rioting, unlawful assembly, deliberate and malicious acts, insult to religious belief and others.
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