Bharuch: In yet another attack on minorities, a 22-year old Muslim youth was brutally beaten by five men after they enquired about his name in Bharuch on Saturday. A police complaint has been filed by the victim, a resident of Indira Nagar in Andheri West, Mumbai.
Image Courtesy: Indian Express
As reported in The Indian Express, Faisal Khan was attacked by five local youth when he was returning from his work at Jolwa village in Dahej, Bharuch and was on his way to purchase something from a hardware shop.
Faisal told The Indian Express, “I left on my bike and after crossing around 100 metres, I saw five youths in a verbal duel with another youth who was travelling on bike. I did not pay attention and tried to pass through the side when the men, speaking the local language, caught hold of me and asked my name. When I said my name, they asked which company I was working for. I gave the company’s address when three of them started slapping me. When I asked what was my fault, they replied with fists. Somehow, I managed to escape from the spot as my bike was on. I hid myself at a distance and informed a colleague, Imtiyaz Shaikh, about the incident.”
After waiting at a distance for a while, Faisal thought of returning back to his company, however, two of the five men were yet present at the incident spot who again stopped Faisal and beat him up. “I took out my belt in defense but they caught hold of it and beat me with it. I left my bike and ran to the company gate. They chased me and beat me up again. The company security guards, instead of helping me, escaped from the spot. Meanwhile, the other three men joined them and forced me into an autorickshaw, took me to a lonely place nearby and again beat me up. They left me there when they were tired,” said Faisal.
Faisal called up his colleagues who took him to Patel Welfare Hospital in Bharuch by night. The hospital authorities informed the police about the incident. Dahej police sub-inspector, SN Patil, said, “We have recorded the statements of the victim and lodged a complaint against five youths. We came to know that all the youths who were speaking Gujarati are from nearby Galanda village. We have checked CCTV cameras of the company and found that the victim was beaten up by five youths. We have launched a search for them.”
A contractor with the company said on condition of anonymity, “I was admitted to a hospital in Mumbai when the incident happened. I returned to Dahej from Mumbai only today (Monday) afternoon and I am trying to get information about the incident. I met Faisal and will verify it with the other people working in the unit. When the incident took place there were 70 people working in the firm. At present it is difficult to say anything about the incident. Police are investigating.”
A case has been registered against five unknown men under IPC sections 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 504 ( Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 114 (Abettor present when offence is committed) and 506(2) (Punishment for criminal intimidation).
Faisal works in a company that manufactures tyres and joined as a supervisor on July 6. He has been discharged from the hospital on Sunday and has come back to his home in Mumbai. Further investigations are underway.
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