Varanasi: Youth thrashed for touching girl inappropriately at Ganga Aarti claims he was targeted because he is Muslim, case handed over to ATS as shocking details emerge
On 28th April evening, a young man named Rehan touched a girl inappropriately during the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi, after which the devotees retaliated against him. However, he contended that he was thrashed due to his Muslim identity. He claimed that his name was asked before the assault. The police commenced an investigation, considering the sensitivity of the matter.
However, after examining CCTV evidence, the case was referred to the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) as the police viewed the man’s actions with suspicion. There are indications that an effort was made to frame the situation in a religious light. The ATS team conducted an investigation at the ghat and seized the CCTV footage. They tried to talk to him at the hospital, but could not. Authorities will interrogate the young individual in the hospital regarding three specific matters:
- The residence of the youth is located in Chaurahat Padav, approximately 12 kilometers from Dashashwamedh Ghat. Why did he travel so far?
- Initially, the incident was classified as indecent touching of one girl, but it has since escalated to allegations of molestation against several girls. Cops have found his presence at the ghat to be questionable.
- The police are probing the reasons behind his presence at the ghat precisely during the Ganga Aarti. Was he a regular visitor? Whose video was he recording on his mobile device?
The police have filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Shivam Gupta, Sushant Mishra and Hanuman Yadav in connection with the assault. Additionally, 6 to 7 unidentified individuals are implicated in the incident. All suspects are currently evading arrest. The police also went to their residence to conduct an investigation.
An ISI connection?
The ATS is currently looking into this matter as Rehan hails from the Chaurahat region. In January 2020, Rashid Ahmed was apprehended by ATS in the Chhittupur region of Varanasi. His mother stayed at her maternal home in Chaurahat Padav, Chandauli following her separation from her spouse. Rashid also lived with her and was employed as a poster maker. He visited his aunt’s residence in Pakistan on two occasions.
Rashid, who developed feelings for his aunt’s daughter, was encouraged by his relatives to pursue a role with the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence). He traveled to his aunt’s home in Karachi in 2018 and established connections with the ISI afterward. Starting in 2019, he began to capture images of military and CRPF installations in Chandauli using his cell phone and sent them to the agency. On 5th March, the special NIA (National Investigation Agency) court in Lucknow found the accused, Mohammad Rashid, guilty in the espionage case.
Suspicious conduct of the Muslim youth
During January 2022, posters were erected by Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal along the route from Panchganga, Manikarnika, Dashashwamedh, Ram Ghat to Assi Ghat in Varanasi, which clearly indicated that entry for non-Hindus is forbidden. Two videos have come to light related to these posters, in which individuals from the non-Hindu community were explicitly cautioned to refrain from visiting Ganga ghats and temples. It was declared that Ganga is not a recreational area and added that they will apprehend any non-Hindu who trespasses here and turn them over to the authorities.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Kashi Zone Gaurav Bansal remarked that at the outset of the investigation, it appeared to be a case of inappropriate touch. Nevertheless, following police inquiries and the review of CCTV footage from the ghat, the young man’s involvement started to seem dubious. His residence is also quite distant from the ghat, leading to inquiries about his reasons for being there and attend the aarti. According to reports, Rehan altered his statement during questioning.
The ATS will collaborate with the local police in their investigation and interrogate him. His call logs will be analysed, and if he is found culpable, he may face legal repercussions. The ATS is currently conducting a thorough investigation into the entire issue.
Rehan pursued the girl under the guise of receiving prasad following the aarti. Subsequently, she screamed, and the crowd apprehended and beat him before handing him over to the cops. Members of the Aarti committee at the ghat have also verified this occurrence. It was the general public who recorded the video of the young man harassing the girl.
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