IMAM FORCED TO CHANT ‘JAI SHRI RAM’ AT GUNPOINT, ASSAULTED IN INDIA’S UP

Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad supporters participate in a procession ahead of Hanuman Jayanti in Gurugram on April 2. | PTI (FILE PHOTO)

Sun 23 July 2023:

An Imam of a mosque in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district was allegedly forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ at a gunpoint recently. He was assaulted after he refused to chant the slogan.

The incident occurred on July 18 and a case was registered the following day. Two persons — Rahul Kumar and Jitendra Kumar of Baghpat town — have been arrested so far, police said. The search is on for another accused.

The imam, Mujib-ur-Rahman, told reporters, “I was returning home after offering evening prayers when three youths stopped me, put a saffron scarf around my neck, pointed a weapon at me and asked me to chant Jai Shri Ram and Hindustan Zindabad. They assaulted me when I refused.”

The imam further alleged that action was taken only after the intervention of senior police officers. “We met the superintendent of police on Wednesday (July 19) when the Kotwali police failed to take action against the accused, who had run away when some people gathered there,” he told reporters.

Police have identified the three accused through the CCTV footage.

Bhagpat district has a substantial Muslim population.

-Siasat

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