In Rajsathan’s Bhilwara, a Muslim man was beaten and forced to chant a Hindu religious slogan by a group of assailants on July 8th. Saheb Ali Khan, 21, suffered severe injuries and physical trauma during the assault, which took place in broad daylight.
According to Saheb, the incident occurred when he went to purchase a packet of milk and tea from a local shop owned by Mukesh Gujjar. While at the shop, he was accosted by a group of men who demanded that he chant the slogan “Jai Shri Ram,” a phrase associated with the Hindu faith. Sahib, asserting his right to freedom of belief, refused to comply with their demand.
“I told him that there’s no compulsion, everyone has their own set of beliefs, and you can’t force me to chant the slogan,” Saheb recounted. It was at this point that the situation escalated, and the group became agitated.
Angered by Saheb’s refusal, the assailants resorted to violence, using swords, iron rods, and bats to inflict severe injuries upon him. During the assault, they hurled derogatory slurs at him, referring to him as a “katwa,” a derogatory term aimed at insulting his religious identity. Saheb endured a barrage of blows and sustained significant harm before managing to escape from his attackers.
Saheb, a labourer, said that had he not managed to escape, the group would have taken his life.
“If I were to pass away, what would be the fate of my children and family?” he questioned
The police have filed a case against seven individuals, including Mukesh Gujjar and Shiva Gujjar, under the following sections of Sections 143 (Unlawful assembly), 323 (Voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (Wrongful restraint), 307 (Attempt to murder) and 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code)
