In the Vidyaranyapura police station, an FIR was lodged when a video went viral on social media of an incident, but it is a relief that the three accused were arrested.
In Bengaluru on Wednesday afternoon, bike-riding men attacked three men who were travelling in a car and chanting “Jai Shri Ram” slogans in celebration of Ram Navami. In the Vidyaranyapura police station, an FIR was lodged when a video went viral on social media of an incident, but it is a relief that the three accused were arrested. Another accused, who was also present at the scene anyway, managed to escape from the spot.
Two of the accused were identified as Farman and Sameer, who were residents of MS Palya. The incident took place in the area of Chikkabettahalli as three men were travelling in a car, displaying a flag and chanting the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan in celebration of Ram Navami. They were stopped by two motorcycle riders, who were objecting to their chanting. The sinners asked the three men to chant “Allah Hu Akbar” instead of the “Jai Shri Ram” slogan. The accused kept saying only one thing: “No, Jai Shri Ram, only Allah.” They also tried to snatch the flags from the three victims who were carrying them, and they also seemed to be drunk.
The communication soon turned into an argument when the accused assaulted the three men. Police informed us that one of the three victims was hit on the head with a stick, and another suffered an injury to his nose during the attack. BM Laxmi Prasad, the DCP Northeast, Bengaluru City, stated that the three youths were holding a flag and chanting Jai Shri Ram while travelling in the car. During that time, two youths blocked the car and questioned them for shouting these slogans, also demanding they say Allah Hu Akbar. As these people got out of the car, those on the bike ran away to bring more youths to assault them. In that altercation, one person injured his nose.
Police stated that a case has been registered under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 295 (punishment for the deliberate and malicious act), 298 (intentionally hurting someone’s religious feelings), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by a dangerous weapon), 326 (criminal intimidation), and rioting at Vidhyaranyapura Police Station against the accused.
