Deoband, Uttar Pradesh — In a shocking incident that highlights growing concerns over communal violence in India, an elderly Muslim farmer from Amarpur Garhi village, under Deoband Kotwali police limits, was brutally assaulted by two youths who allegedly forced him to chant communal slogans and threatened him to leave the country, reported the Dainik Bhaskar.
Mohammad Israel, a respected farmer from the village, was watering his fields on Sunday when two youths from the nearby village of Rankhedi approached him. According to a written complaint filed at the police station, the assailants asked his name and began hurling religious slurs. When Israel resisted their attempts to coerce him into chanting communal slogans, they physically attacked him, violently pulling his beard and reportedly attempting to assault him with a spade.
The attackers also threatened him with expulsion from the country. Hearing his cries, nearby farmers rushed to the scene, apprehended the assailants, and handed them over to the police. Following the incident, Bhim Army workers led by district president Shourya Ambedkar reached the police station in solidarity with the victim and staged a protest demanding strict action.
Police confirmed that two youths have been taken into custody and are being interrogated. They assured that an investigation is underway and action will be taken based on the findings.
Among the protestors were Bhim Army’s city president Islam Malik, Wasim Malik, Deoband Assembly president Dr. Lamba, Saim Siddiqui, and Sufiyan Qureshi. The protestors condemned the incident as an attack on communal harmony and demanded justice for the elderly victim.
This incident underscores the threat posed by internal extremists who seek to disrupt India’s unity and peace, even as citizens across the country strive to uphold national integrity.
