Violence against Muslims has become more common in India as an Indian Imam was attacked by a Hindu extremist.
The incident occurred when an Imam, who leads the prayer at a mosque in Maharashtra’s Anwa village, was beaten up for refusing to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’, the Hindutva war cry.
The incident happened on Sunday evening at approximately 7:30 pm while he was seated inside the mosque and reading the Quran. Masked assailants barged into the mosque and coerced the Imam to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ while he was reciting the Quran.
When the Imam refused to comply, three attackers dragged him outside and subjected him to physical assault. The Imam stated that his attackers induced him unconscious with a cloth laced with chemicals. Upon regaining consciousness, he realised that his beard had been forcibly removed.
At 8 pm, when other Muslims arrived at the mosque for prayer, they saw Zakir Sayyed Khaja lying unconscious outside. he was immediately shifted to a government hospital in Sillod.
A case has been registered at the Paradh police station in Bhokardan against the unidentified individuals under Sections 452 (trespassing after preparation for hurt, assault), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 34 (criminal act by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
