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| Abdul Samad went to Ghaziabad to visit his niece where he was tortured — Photo: Screenshot |
In the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, a case has been registered against those who forcibly shaved their beards after torturing a senior Muslim citizen.
According to the Indian Express, Abdul Samad Saifi, 72, from Balandshahr, had gone to Ghaziabad to offer condolences and visit his niece, where he was tortured and had his beard cut off.
More than a week after the incident, a video of the incident went viral on social media on Monday, in which he can be seen narrating the tragic incident, and the video was shared with the public as well as human rights organizations. And demanded that the police take notice of the incident.
The suspects allegedly attacked an elderly man from Balandshahr and shaved his beard, which human rights groups have described as a reflection of growing intolerance and anti-Muslim attitudes in India.
Elaborating on the situation with a local Samajwadi Party leader, the 72-year-old said he was traveling in a rickshaw near the border area of Loni when he was abducted by two men sitting in the front of the rickshaw.
He said that they took me to the forest and started beating me. I begged him but he refused and when I started moaning in pain he asked if I was taking the name of Allah.
Abdul Samad said the attackers also called him a Pakistani spy and forcibly chanted slogans of J Shri Ram and Vande Mataram.
“I couldn’t bear the pain and at the same time he brought two scissors and cut my beard, I was risking my life,” he said.
“The accused then made a video of me saying that we do this to Muslims, it will send a message to all Muslims and they released me after torturing me for four hours,” he said.
“A loved one in my family died on May 9 and I could not go there because of Ramadan, so I went there on June 5,” an elder from the local junk business told the Indian Express. I planned to go, a rickshaw came to me at about half-past one and they offered to drop me off at the canal nearby, I sat down with them and that was my only mistake.
According to police, a case was registered on June 7 and an investigation is underway, while one of the attackers, Pravesh Gujjar, has also been arrested.
According to police officer Atal Kumar, the second attacker has also been identified and will be arrested soon.
According to police, several cases of violence and robbery have been registered against Pravesh in the area while police are also searching for other accused.
