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AajTak publishes news of 63-year-old Ghanaian priest marrying 12 year-old-girl as ‘Pujari’, changes headline after netizens outrage

OpIndia Staff
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AajTak publishes news of 63-year-old Ghanaian priest marrying 12 year-old-girl as ‘Pujari’, changes headline after netizens outrage

On the 2nd of April, AajTak published a news report about a 63-year-old Ghanaian priest marrying a 12-year-old girl in Ghana. However, the Hindi news portal used the word “Pujari” instead of “Padri/Priest” giving the impression that the 63-year-old groom was a Hindu saint/priest and the incident is from India.

AajTak’s objectionable headline soon sparked outrage online. Several netizens called out the media outlet for writing pujari in the headline even though the 63-year-old groom was a traditional Ghanaian priest who married a 12-year-old girl in a ceremony as per the local community’s traditions and customs.

Following the outrage, AajTak tweaked the headline removing the word “pujari” and inserting “padri”. However, AajTak’s X post still has the old headline. The said post has received severe criticism from social media users. The outraging netizens are demanding an apology from AajTak in addition to the deletion of the said X post.

An X user wrote, “Stop spreading this fake news AajTak. Stop defaming Hindus just to get your impression clicks. @aajtak Hindus are being defamed by saying that this news from Ghana is from India. Apologize to Hindus Aajtak!”

Notably, a 63-year-old priest Nuumo Borketey Laweh Tsuru XXXIII in West Africa’s Ghana married a 12-year-old girl in a customary wedding on Saturday in Nungua, Krowor. As the incident sparked outrage with many questioning how a 12-year-old girl had been married off to a 63-year-old man, the local community leaders defended the marriage and said that those criticising, lacked the understanding of these customs. These rituals included urging the young girl to prepare for her future role as a wife by increasing her ‘sex appeal’ using perfume given to her as a gift.

Kolkata: Three bags containing woman’s chopped body parts found abandoned in Watgunge area, hands, feet & abdomen still missing

OpIndia Staff
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Kolkata: Three bags containing woman’s chopped body parts found abandoned in Watgunge area, hands, feet & abdomen still missing

In a gruesome case, the Kolkata Police recovered chopped body parts of a woman abandoned at the CISF quarters on Sasthitala Road in the Watgunge area on Tuesday (2nd April) afternoon. Reports quoting the police claim that several parts of the body are still missing.

Police have confirmed that the victim is a woman between 30 to 35 years of age and had vermillion on her forehead. The body parts were lying packed in three black plastic bags including the victim’s head, upper body, hands and legs in pieces.

The foul smell emanating from the building set off the residents who made a complaint to the police following which the body was recovered.

“We have recovered three plastic bags with body parts in them. The victim had vermillion on her forehead, indicating that she might have been married. There was also a brick inside a bag, making us believe that there was an attempt to try and throw the bags in the river or a canal,” said an officer from the homicide wing of the detective department assisting the Watgunge Police.

Joint CP (crime) Syed Waquar Raza said that the hands, feet and abdomen part of the body are still missing. A case has been filed against unknown persons at the Watgunge police station.

An officer said, “It seems that someone had thrown the plastic bags in a hurry from a moving vehicle. However, investigations are still on whether she was murdered at that secluded place or she was killed elsewhere and subsequently her body parts were chopped and dumped there.”

DC (port) Harikrishna Pai said, “Some youths who had gathered for a chat in the abandoned area came running to the police station to inform us about the bags around 2.50 pm. We rushed to the spot after knowing that the bags contained body parts. On inquiry, it was found that there were three black polythene bags. The lady is yet to be identified. She seems to be around 30-35 year old.”

CCTV footage from the area in Kolkata has been gathered and tracker dogs have been deployed. The police has not ruled out the possibility of revenge killing. As per reports, the choice of location has intrigued the police.

“The area is not frequented much. It has to be someone who is aware of the topography here,” an officer said. The body parts have been sent for post mortem.

The police suspects that the victim might have been murdered in another location in Kolkata and that her body was dumped in Sasthitala. Moreover, it is estimated that the woman was killed 3-4 days ago.

Pondicherry University: HoD asked to step down, case filed against director and writer of the anti-Hindu play, internal committee to probe the issue

OpIndia Staff
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Pondicherry University: HoD asked to step down, case filed against director and writer of the anti-Hindu play, internal committee to probe the issue

Pondicherry University has relieved its Head of the Department of Performing Arts from his duties following a controversy sparked by a play performed by students during the annual cultural festival, Ezhini 2k24, on 29th March. The play, which included disrespectful portrayals of Hindu deities Goddess Sita and Lord Hanuman, led to protests by ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) on 30th March.

In response, the university has initiated an internal investigation by forming a committee to examine the matter. Pending the outcome of this inquiry, the HoD has been instructed to step aside from his role.

On Friday (29th March), the Department of Performing Arts of Pondicherry University staged this controversial play in the annual cultural festival Ezhini 2K24 leading to protests by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) who complained against this play in university as well as a local police station. The Kalapet police registered the case against the play’s Director and Script Writer on charges of outraging religious sentiments. The student organisation also held protests on the university campus and issued a statement about this matter.

In response to the incident, the university formed an investigation committee. According to reports, the University’s Assistant Registrar, D. Nandagopal, informed the student complainants that a high-level committee had been established to investigate the issue and would deliver a report within three to four days.

In a written communication dated 1st April addressed to these students, he wrote, “Pending the Committee report, the Head of the Department has been asked to step down immediately. We have called for an explanation from all faculty members of the Department of Performing Arts.” He added that the University was committed to providing a peaceful and harmonious ambience on campus and would not tolerate any act hurting religious sentiments on its campus. The Registrar In charge has also asked for students’ cooperation to maintain peace on campus.

On the other hand, the students involved in this contentious play have refuted any intention or effort to offend religious sentiments. A statement was also issued by some students of the Performing Arts Department and other students in solidarity with the team performing this play titled ‘Somayanam’. The statement said, “The play is not intended to hurt any religious beliefs. Hailing from different social and cultural backgrounds, we respect the beliefs of everyone equally. If all we hurt anyone’s religious sentiments, we apologize for it.”

According to the statement, the performance depicted the imposition of patriarchal values on women in the style of Therukoothu (street play). They said that the play showed the ancient concepts of female chastity that ‘persist in contemporary society’ and aimed to ‘uproot these ideals’. The statement questioned why a woman’s virtue is often equated with her chastity, prompting consideration of why the same standard is not applied to men. However, it did not tell about why it was necessary to portray Goddess Sita and Lord Hanuman in the way it did to underscore the targetted issue.

Earlier, in its statement, ABVP emphasised the importance of creative expression that respects religious sentiments and avoids inciting communal discord. The organisation said that the Pondicherry University bears the responsibility to respond decisively to the incident, ensuring a balance between freedom of expression and sensitivity toward religious beliefs.

Massive 7.4 magnitude earthquake strikes eastern Taiwan: Tsunami alerts in Japan’s Okinawa

OpIndia Staff
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Massive 7.4 magnitude earthquake strikes eastern Taiwan: Tsunami alerts in Japan’s Okinawa

On 3rd April (local time), a powerful earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter Scale struck the eastern Shores of Taiwan. According to the administration’s Seismology Centre, the quake’s epicentre was located 25 KM south-southeast of Hualien County Hall in the Pacific Ocean at a depth of 15.5 KM. In a post on X, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said, “Notable quake, preliminary info: M 6.5 – 11 KM NE of Hualien City, Taiwan.” Social media was flooded with the visuals of the earthquake and its aftermath.

Following the earthquake, metro systems in Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung were suspended, and the suspension is expected to last 40 to 60 minutes. A tsunami warning has been declared for the coastal areas of southwestern Japan’s Miyakojima and Yaeyama regions and the main island of Okinawa in Okinawa Prefecture. Authorities have urged residents in these regions to evacuate to higher ground or safe locations promptly.

An intensity level of 5+ was reported in Yilan County in the northeast and Miaoli County in the north, while 5- was reported in Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taoyuan City and Hsinchu County in the north, Taichung City, Changhua County and Nantou County in central Taiwan, the Central Weather Agency said.

As per reports, a 30-centimeter tsunami was recorded at Yonaguni Island around 9:18 AM Japan Time. Forecasters predict that the tsunami waves may reach up to 3 metres in height in the affected areas.

The alert was prompted by an earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 7.5, occurring shortly before 9 AM. The Japan Meteorological Agency identified the earthquake’s epicentre near Taiwan.

Anticipated tsunami arrival times are projected for 9:30 AM in the Miyakojima-Yaeyama region and 10 AM in the Okinawa main island region.

In response, the Japan Meteorological Agency sounded the alarm for Miyakojima and Okinawa islands, cautioning residents about imminent waves as high as 3 meters.

(With inputs from ANI)

Turkey: Fire breaks out at Istanbul nightclub during renovation work, 29 dead, several injured

OpIndia Staff
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Turkey: Fire breaks out at Istanbul nightclub during renovation work, 29 dead, several injured

At least 29 people have died while several others have been hurt after a fire broke out at a night club in Istanbul. As per reports, the 16-storey residential building was undergoing renovation and was closed during the day. The fire had initially erupted in the basement of a high-rise building named the Masquerade Club in Istanbul. The cause behind the fire is not yet known. 

(Image Source – X_Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu)

In a statement, Governor Davut Gul’s office said, “The number of people who lost their lives in the fire… in Gayrettepe of Besiktas district has increased to 29.” 

“One person hurt in the fire was still being treated in hospital,” it added.

The office said that the fire began at 12:47 (0947 GMT). Hours after firefighting efforts, the fire was brought under control. 

In several videos doing rounds on the internet, flames and a column of thick smoke can be seen billowing from upper-storey windows. Speaking with reporters, Gul said that the blaze had broken out during construction work in the first and second floors below ground, which housed a nightclub. 

Taking to X, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote, “An investigation has been opened into the fire in Gayrettepe.”

According to news channel NTV, five people have been arrested at the scene in connection with the fire including the nightclub manager and the manager of the renovations.

Istanbul’s newly re-elected mayor Ekrem Imamoglu also rushed to the scene and offered his condolences to the relatives of the dead and injured. He said, “The fire is under control. Let’s hope there are no further victims.”

They don’t believe in India’s sovereignty: Amit Shah lambasts Congress after the political wing of banned Islamist terror outfit PFI, SDPI extends support to Congress

OpIndia Staff
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They don’t believe in India’s sovereignty: Amit Shah lambasts Congress after the political wing of banned Islamist terror outfit PFI, SDPI extends support to Congress

On Tuesday (2nd April), Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a scathing attack on the Congress party for not turning down the support extended by SDPI, the political wing of banned Islamist terror outfit PFI, to Congress-led UDF in Kerala. Notably, the Congress party had earlier demanded to ban SDPI under UAPA, only to seek its support during the Karnataka assembly elections. 

During his roadshow in Ramanagara, Karnataka, Home Minister Amit Shah said, “On one hand there are blasts in Bengaluru, on the other hand, I just got the news that SDPI has supported Congress. If this is true then can the people of Karnataka remain safe under the Congress government?…” 

Amit Shah’s remark come amidst the findings that Congress had withdrawn cases against 1600 PFI terrorists and allied with SDPI earlier.

Amit Shah slammed Congress stating that the party has been supporting anti-India campaigns by getting support from communal forces. He added that with such developments it has revealed that it doesn’t believe in India’s sovereignty.  

Speaking with CNN-News18 during his roadshow in Ramanagara, Karnataka, Shah said, “I am not shocked to see that SDPI is supporting Congress. With the support of communal forces, Congress has been supporting anti-India campaigns for several years. Support from SDPI means that you don’t believe in India’s sovereignty.” 

The Home Ministry had banned the Popular Front of India (PFI) and several associated Islamist organisations under UAPA for five years due to various criminal cases, including findings that several PFI members had joined international terrorist organisations. SDPI is the political wing of the banned outfit PFI. Security experts have repeatedly noted that members of banned terror outfits carry out terror acts by renaming their groups or joining other outfits, prompting Parliament to individually book terrorists under UAPA. 

A day earlier, the SDPI announced that it will be supporting the Congress-led UDF in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Kerala. SDPI state President Muvattupuzha Ashraf Moulavi stated that the party has not fielded any candidates in Kerala but has 18 candidates in various parts of the country.

Despite facing massive criticism, the Congress party declined to reject the support of the banned outfit PFI’s political arm, SDPI. 

AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal claimed that the Congress party never sought any help from the SDPI and no discussion has happened in this regard, indicating that the party was not against getting support from the extremist outfit. Venugopal is also contesting the Lok Sabha polls from the Alappuzha constituency in Kerala.

Following SDPI’s announcement, the BJP has been asking Congress to clear its stance on whether it has no problem in getting support from terror out of PFI’s political arm. 

Kerala BJP chief and candidate from Wayanad, K Surendran is contesting against Congress scion Rahul Gandhi. He said, “Yes, really shocking – the dangerous political move by the Congress party, especially Rahul Gandhi and the UDF leaders from Kerala. PFI’s – the banned terror organisation – political outfit SDPI is openly supporting the Congress party, the UDF candidates… I would like to ask Rahul Gandhi if this is his national-level policy. For the vote bank, you are compromising the national interests…Is it right?…”

In the past, Rahul Gandhi had once courted controversy for giving clean chit to its ally in Kerala, IUML, stating that it is a completely secular party. 

Pakistan: Priest accuses Plaza owner Sheikh Ahmed of setting a temple-turned-church on fire, accuses police of protecting him

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: Priest accuses Plaza owner Sheikh Ahmed of setting a temple-turned-church on fire, accuses police of protecting him

In a major development following a fire incident at a church in Rawalpindi, the local Christian community and the priest stated that it was a case of arson. They reported that some unknown miscreants had set the building on fire in the early hours of the day. They have charged a local Muslim businessman Sheikh Ahmed for setting the church on fire as he had been eyeing to include the church building in his under-construction Plaza and had recently threatened them.  

Notably, a fire incident was reported at a Presbyterian church in Rawalpindi’s Gujar Khan area on 30th March 2024. The incident occurred just hours before the local Christian community was scheduled to hold Easter services at the location. Following the incident, Police claimed that their initial investigation showed the fire was caused due to a “short-circuit”. 

Speaking with Dawn, Rawalpindi CPO Khalid Mahmood Hamdani said that they did not find any inflammable material on the spot. However, the local Christian community and the Church priest protested against the Police’s assertion. They stated that unknown miscreants had torched the church in a pre-dawn attack. 

According to the local Christian community, they had an altercation with their neighbouring Plaza-owner who had threatened them that he would not let them hold Easter services. As per the congregation, the Muslim businessman Sheikh Ahmed or his henchman had gutted the church to include the building in his under-development Plaza. 

The Rev. Adeem Alphonse is the priest of the United Presbyterian Junior Church in Gujar Khan tehsil. He said, “Our church was targeted around 3 a.m. on Saturday. The huge fire burned everything inside the church, including holy books, the sound system, furniture, curtains, etc.” 

He charged the Rawalpindi police and local administration with protecting the accused by claiming that it was an incident caused by ‘short-circuiting’. 

Alphonse added, “We strongly suspect that it’s a case of arson, but the police and administration are trying to hush up the matter by terming it an outcome of a short-circuit in the electricity wiring.”

Sheikh Ahmed had threatened them, Police declined to name him in the FIR: Local Christian community

Pastor Alphonse emphasised that the congregation suspects a Muslim businessman, identified only as Sheikh Ahmed, who publicly threatened that he would not let them hold an Easter service, as he has been trying to force them to leave in order to add the property to an adjacent plaza he is developing.

According to the Pastor, Ahmed had disrupted the church’s Good Friday service and tore down tent coverings set up outside the building. 

Speaking with Christian Daily International-Morning Star News, Pastor Alphonse recalled the incident saying, “When the police stopped Ahmed from causing unrest, he threatened our church elders that he will not let us have Easter service at any cost.” 

He added, “We resumed our Good Friday service thinking that the police would talk sense into him, but I was shocked when I received a telephone call the same night that my church was burning.”

He pointed out that Ahmed, who earlier ran a construction supply company, has been eying on the property that the church leases from the government.

As per reports, after the fire was doused, the pastor and church officials learned that the fire had started from the wooden door of the main church hall. 

Pastor Alphonse said, “Everything inside was reduced to ashes. When we checked the electricity wiring, we did not see any signs of a short-circuit.” 

Additionally, when the Church member Javed Masih filed a police complaint and named Ahmed as an accused, Police officers declined to book him in the First Information Report (FIR). They also went on to claim that the fire was caused by a short-circuit, the pastor noted.

Pastor Alphonse said, “The building was previously used as a Hindu temple, but the Pakistani government allocated the building to Christians after the Partition when the area’s Hindu community chose to migrate to India.” It has been allotted to the church on a rental basis.

Rampant attacks on Minorities including Christians in Pakistan

Other community members also highlighted the rampant attack on the Christian community in Pakistan including the Jaranwala attack. 

They urged the administration and police to consider the just demand of the church management and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice no matter how influential they may be, as per reports.

Last year in August, more than 20 church buildings and at least 80 homes of Christians were ransacked and burned by Muslim mobs in Jaranwala after two Christian brothers were falsely accused of desecrating the Quran and writing blasphemous comments against Islam’s prophet, Muhammad. 

As per sources, while the police had detained more than 300 suspects after the attacks, a majority of them walked free on bail because of defective investigations and other reasons. 

The local Christian community fears that the Police is protecting the suspect Sheikh Ahmed by giving the incident of arson a different spin and blaming ‘short-circuit’ for the gutting of the Church building, which was once a Hindu temple before partition. Pakistan has been notorious for downplaying the extremist attacks on institutions including religious places of minorities including Hindus and Christians.  

ED files money laundering case against TMC leader Mahua Moitra in a cash-for-query scam

OpIndia Staff
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ED files money laundering case against TMC leader Mahua Moitra in a cash-for-query scam

On Tuesday (2nd April), the Enforcement Directorate filed a money laundering case against TMC leader Mahua Moitra in the cash-for-query scam case, news agency ANI reported citing sources.

This is the second case that the ED so far has registered against Moitra. The first one is linked to the discrepancies in a foreign exchange contravention case under which the ED has issued three summons to Moitra and she did not appear yet before the investigators in response to the case.

ED filed the case against the expelled TMC lawmaker based on an FIR lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Moitra. The CBI had earlier filed a case against the former MP in the cash-for-query scam case. 

The CBI booked her on the direction of Lokpal who had issued the directions after receiving findings of the agency’s preliminary inquiry into allegations made by BJP Lok Sabha member Nishikant Dubey against Moitra. The anti-corruption ombudsman had earlier directed the CBI to submit its findings within six months after investigating all aspects of the complaints against her. 

The CBI had also raided her premises in connection with the case. 

Last year, on 8th December, Lok Sabha expelled her based on the recommendations of the Ethics Committee in a cash-for-query case. Moitra was expelled hours after the Ethics Committee report was tabled in Lok Sabha.

Mahuagate: TMC MP Mahua Moitra faces allegations of ‘cash for query’

On 14th October, the Indian political scene experienced a major tremor as BJP MP Nishkant Dubey wrote to the ethics committee seeking an inquiry against TMC MP Mahua Moitra in the ‘Cash for Query’ matter. He based his complaint on the letter written by Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, who alleged that most of the questions asked by the TMC MP in Lok Sabha directly or indirectly benefit businessman Darshan Hiranandani. Dehadrai also accused Moitra of “kidnapping” his pet dog Henry, adding another layer of complications to Mahuagate.

Moitra filed a case against Dubey and Dehadrai but never denied accepting gifts. Interestingly, she has also been accused of sharing her Lok Sabha credentials with Hiranandani so he can post questions independently. Hiranandani has reportedly turned approver in the case and submitted an affidavit suggesting the allegations against Moitra are true.

‘Tit for Tat’: Assam CM Himanta Biswa calls for the Centre to rename 60 places in Tibet over China renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh

OpIndia Staff
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‘Tit for Tat’: Assam CM Himanta Biswa calls for the Centre to rename 60 places in Tibet over China renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh

Being responsive to China’s issuance of a fourth list of 30 new names for various places in Arunachal Pradesh, BJP stalwart and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated on Tuesday (2nd April) that he would like the Government of India to rename 60 places in Tibet as ‘tit for tat’.

“My request to the Government of India will be that we should give 60 geographical names to the Tibetan area of China,” Sarma said while on the sidelines of an election rally in Assam’s Karbi Anglong. “It should always be tit for tat but I don’t want to comment because it is a policy decision of the Government of India. But if they have named 30, we should name 60,” he added.

His Arunachal counterpart Pema Khandu meanwhile condemned China’s act. “Another gimmick from China. Being a proud citizen of Bharat and a native of Arunachal Pradesh, I strongly condemn this act of naming places within Arunachal Pradesh which has been an inalienable and integral part of India,” Khandu wrote on X.

The continuing verbal battle between India and China escalated as Beijing produced another list of standardized geographical names in Arunachal Pradesh, which it acknowledges as Zangnan. Thirty new publicly used names in the region have been made official. This is the fourth such list, with the first three published in 2017, 2021, and 2023.

India rejected China’s attempts to claim the region as part of its territory. “We categorically condemn such attempts. Assigning invented names will not change the fact that Arunachal Pradesh is, has always been, and will remain a vital and inalienable part of India,” stated Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. External Minister S Jaishankar also responded to China’s list of names, saying, “If I change the name of your house today, will it become mine?”

The opposition meanwhile chastised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for their “subdued response”. Former finance minister P Chidambaram has stated that instead of straining relations between India and Sri Lanka over the Katchatheevu island problem after 50 years, PM Modi and S Jaishankar should demonstrate their belligerence towards China.

“Let the government show its belligerence to China. Under the BJP government, China has occupied 2000 square km of Indian territory and is fortifying the area. China is on a re-naming spree and is merrily changing the names of villages and landmarks. Why is the Foreign Minister subdued in his response to the actions of China?” he asked.

Recently, on Tuesday (19th March), India rejected the “absurd claims” and “baseless arguments” made by China on Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that the northeastern State of India is an “integral and inalienable part of India.” The Ministry of External Affairs said that the people of Arunachal Pradesh will continue to benefit from India’s development plans and infrastructure projects.

This is after the Chinese defense ministry on 15th March again tried to claim the Indian state, referring to it as “Zangnan- an inherent part of China’s territory”. India has time and again denied China’s territorial claims on its Northeastern state, stating that the state is an integral part of the country. New Delhi has also criticised Beijing’s move to give “invented” names to the territory, claiming that it does not change the facts. Notably, despite having no legal claim over Arunachal Pradesh, China has ‘named’ the territory “Zangnan”.

‘You Hindus deserve this, your Ram is Ma&^%$’: Hindu kids assaulted by their Muslim friends, profanities hurled at Hindu Gods; 6 booked

Siddhi Somani
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‘You Hindus deserve this, your Ram is Ma&^%$’: Hindu kids assaulted by their Muslim friends, profanities hurled at Hindu Gods; 6 booked

On Tuesday (2nd April), Mumbai Police lodged a police complaint against 6 persons from the Muslim community for brutally assaulting 2 minor Hindus and abusing Hindu Gods and Goddesses. The accused persons have been identified by the Police and have been booked under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.

As per the information obtained by OpIndia, 2 of the booked persons from the Muslim community are adults while the other 4 are minors. Team OpIndia has obtained an FIR copy in the case in which the father of the 2 Hindu minors stated that both his sons were brutally assaulted by 6 persons from the Muslim community.

The incident is said to have happened on 30th March in the Kashigav area of Maharashtra’s Thane district. One of the minor Muslim friends of his son had come home to play with him. However, the duo happened to engage in a verbal fight after which the Muslim minor boy began abusing the Hindu one. He threatened the Hindu boy and said that he would brutally beat him and none of his Hindu Gods would come and save him.

“I’ll beat you so much that none of your Hindu Gods will come and save you. Your Ram is Ma****. You are Ma****,” the Muslim minor was quoted as saying in the FIR.

FIR obtained by OpIndia

The next day, on 31st March, the Hindu minor kid narrated the incident to his parents and other friends. On confrontation, the accused kid threatened the victim and brought 5 other persons from his community to side with him. They threatened the victim and his family and warned them not to mess with them.

However, on 1st April, as per the FIR, the Hindu kids were blocked by the 6 accused while they were on their way to the school. They were brutally assaulted by the accused persons, 2 of whom were adults. They were also abused and demeaned for belonging to the Hindu community.

“You Hindu people are like this only. You deserve to be treated like this. None of your Gods will save you,” the accused persons were quoted as saying.

The father of the Hindu victim spoke to OpIndia and shared his ordeal with us. “My kids were brutally assaulted by 6 Muslims. They also abused Hindu Gods and have hurt our religious sentiments. This has long been happening here, but nobody talks about it. Today I just dared to raise my voice against this. No disrespect to the Hindu community and Gods will be tolerated. Strict action against these is a must,” he said.

The 6 accused persons have been identified and have been booked under sections 295A (outrage the religious beliefs of any class of citizens by insulting their religion), 153A (promoting enmity between two communities), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (offences against public tranquillity and peace), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.

The police could not be reached for comment at the time of the writing of this report. The report will be updated once the comments are obtained.

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