A class 12 Muslim student was arrested by Assam police in the Cachar district shortly after a brutal assault by a mob linked to Hindutva groups, accusing him of “love jihad” for talking to a female Hindu friend on school premises.
The incident unfolded on Friday when the teenage boy identified as Ali Ahmed was spotted talking to a Hindu classmate near a higher secondary school in Narsingapur.
Ali recounted his ordeal stating that upon learning of his name, a group of 15 to 20 individuals surrounded him and began to physically assault him. “They asked my name and when I replied Ali Ahmed, they started beating me mercilessly without further inquiry”, Ali said.
According to the police statement, two persons of the mob were Ali’s classmates. In purported videos that went viral on social media, Ali is seen shirtless and tied to a pole, bleeding as he was reportedly dragged and paraded in front of a crowd.
In the footage, Ali is seen screaming, pleading for mercy, and trying to explain to the mob that he has no romantic involvement with the girl. However, the furious mob also harassed the girl physically, demanding she reveal her identity for the video.
As per the media reports, soon after the case reached the girl’s family they approached the police and filed a complaint leading to Ali’s arrest under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act,” Cachar superintendent of police, Numal Mahatta was quoted by Scroll.
Speaking on the case, the police officials claimed that the arrest was based on the girl’s statements, despite evidence of Ali’s injuries in the videos. Reports indicate that the girl denied any romantic relationship, clarifying they were merely classmates.
“The two teenagers part were classmates and studied in the same school till Class 10,” said police.
On the other side, Ali’s uncle claimed that the situation escalated due to pressure from the Hindutva radical outfit Bajrang Dal, stating that despite Ali’s visible injuries and the footage of brutal humiliation in full public view, no arrests had been made of those who attacked him.
It is pertinent to mention that, Bajrang Dal members, fueled by their extremist ideology, have been involved in several instances of religious vigilantism and hate crimes across India. In recent years, the group has been accused of stopping inter-faith marriages and harassing couples celebrating Valentine’s Day.
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