Muslim auto driver assaulted allegedly for refusing to shout ‘Jai Shri Ram’ in Bengaluru
A 35-year-old Muslim auto rickshaw driver was assaulted by eight men for allegedly refusing to shout “Jai Shri Ram” in Bengaluru on Sunday, The Hindu reported.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Sajeeth VJ told The Indian Express that the complaint filed by the auto driver, Waseem Ahmed, did not mention any “slogan-related provocation”.
However, Ahmed told The Hindu that the assault took place after he refused to shout the slogan and that he had also mentioned this to the police in his statement.
On Sunday, Ahmed and his friend Sameer were driving in his auto rickshaw. They stopped at a vacant site in Hegde Nagar after which the group of men sitting nearby confronted them, demanding to know their identities.
“While I was trying to reason with them, they realised I was a Muslim and started attacking me,” Ahmed told The Hindu.
Ahmed alleged that the men demanded that he shout “Jai Shri Ram”, and when he refused, they allegedly “got furious and started to punch and kick” him. Sameer had fled by then.
Ahmed said that one of the attackers “showed some mercy” and helped him escape.
Ahmed filed a complaint at the Sampigehalli police station. The police sent him to hospital for a medical examination, The Hindu reported.
A case was filed against the suspects for intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, criminal intimidation, assault and...
Read more
News