Rudrapur: Police in Uttarakhand have registered a case after a Muslim man was assaulted while offering namaz on a vacant plot near a temple in Rudrapur, Udham Singh Nagar district.
A video of the incident has circulated widely on social media. The footage shows a man approaching Mohammad Shahid, 44, during namaz, grabbing him by the neck and throwing him to the ground. The accused then kicks and slaps him, abuses him and forces him to chant Jai Shri Ram. The man questions how he could offer namaz near the temple. The victim leaves only after repeating the slogan. The authenticity of the video has not been independently verified.
Shahid, a resident of Resham Bari, had gone to Jagatpura for daily wage work. The incident took place around 2 pm near the Atriya Temple. He said he had been offering afternoon prayers there for four days as he was observing fast during Ramzan. He stated that the attackers continued to beat him with sticks even after recording the video. He said they threatened to kill him. He added that he complied out of fear and suffered injuries. He also said he is unwell.
Police at Pantnagar station registered an FIR against Arvind Sharma and others under sections 115, 351(3) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Superintendent of Police Crime Jitendra Choudhary confirmed that an investigation has started. He said officers will also examine the ownership of the land where the namaz was offered.
