A 65-year-old Muslim man was tortured and forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ by two unidentified bikers in Gangavati town of Karnataka’s Koppal district. An FIR was lodged following the victim’s complaint on November 30.
According to reports, the victim, identified as Hussainsab, lives in a small house with his daughter in Gangavati. Due to his poor eyesight, he had been begging in places like Koppal and Vijayanagar.
On the night of November 25, Hussainsab had returned to Gangavati from Hosapete. He was waiting for an autorickshaw when two unidentified motorcyclists offered him a lift. However, once the ride began, the duo started assaulting Hussainsab and verbally abusing him. They also burned his beard and forced him to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan, according to the complaint. He was late admitted to a local hospital, where he is undergoing treatment.
“The duo took me near the Pampanagar area, started abusing me, and pushed me from the bike. I pleaded that I couldn’t see clearly and wanted to go back home. They forced me to chant Jai Shri Ram, and despite doing it, they did not stop assaulting me,” complained Hussainsab.
He said, “The attackers broke a glass bottle and attempted to chop off my beard with a sharp piece of glass. However, they were unsuccessful, so one of them burned my beard. I thought I would be killed as they kept beating me until a few shepherds woke up reached the spot after hearing my cries.”
An FIR has been registered, and police have begun the investigation. CCTV footage near the bus stand and main roads in Pampanagar area is all being checked, according to a report.
Meanwhile, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has planned a protest against the incident in front of the Tahsildar’s office in Gangavati.
The district president of SDPI, Koppal Saleem, said, “People from all walks of life live in harmony in our district. It’s utter brutality that a harmless old man has been beaten up and forced to chant religious slogans. We are demanding action against the duo responsible for the attack and mental torture of the victim. The SDPI has decided to bear the medical expenses of Hussaisab.”
