Bengaluru – In yet another disturbing case of religiously motivated violence, two Muslim men were assaulted by a group of unidentified individuals and forced to chant “Jai Shri Ram” in the Sampigehalli area of Bengaluru on Sunday evening, according to victim statements.
The incident occurred between 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm, when Waseem Ahmed, a 27-year-old auto driver from Hegde Nagar, and his friend Zameer, an auto mechanic, were traveling to Chokkanahalli via Sampigehalli Main Road. They briefly stopped near an open plot when the assault unfolded.
Zameer told Maktoob that he had stepped out of the auto to relieve himself when he was suddenly confronted by nearly six individuals. As they began to attack, Waseem shouted “Allah” in panic, which further provoked the assailants.
“They started beating him and demanded that I chant ‘Jai Shri Ram,’” Zameer recalled. “I managed to escape, but they kept attacking Waseem with a stick.”
Zia Nomani, an activist with the Law and Policy Research Institute (LAPRI), confirmed the details and added that the assailants appeared to be intoxicated. “They specifically targeted Waseem for refusing to chant the slogan,” Nomani said.
Waseem was later taken to Yelahanka General Hospital, where doctors documented multiple injuries — including trauma to his ribs and face, swelling near his right elbow, and partial hearing loss in his right ear.
The Sampigehalli police have registered a case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 118(1) (hurting using dangerous instruments), 299 (hurting religious sentiments), 352 (provocation to breach peace), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation).
The incident has sparked widespread outrage among civil rights groups, who are demanding swift justice and stronger measures to prevent hate-fueled violence in Karnataka.
