Gujarat: Muslim youth beaten for not chanting Jai Shri Ram, police declines claim

One Siddiq Abdul Salam, a 40-year-old motor mechanic and resident of Mohamadi mohalla in the town, which was headquarter of Panchmahal district, had lodged an FIR in Godhara A division police station on Thursday night, claiming that his son Samir (17) and two of his friends Salman and Sohel were beaten up for not chanting Jai Shri Ram near Baba ni Madhi locality by six unknown youth, aged between 20-30.

According to Salam, his son and two of his friends, who also lived close-by, had gone to take a round of the market at around 2200 hrs on Thursday night, when six unknown people sitting on two motorcycles, stopped them and asked them to chant Jai Shri Ram and when the former refused to do so, the latter beat them up.

The assailants fled, after local people gathered, hearing the cries of his son, said the complainant, adding that the trio were admitted to a local civil hospital for treatment.

Salam later told newspersons that the incident took place at a distance of around one km from his place in a 'Hindu locality'.

However, SP Leena Patel said that primary investigation revealed that it was not about chanting any religious slogan.

''We have obtained CCTV footage and have verified that it was seemingly a case of quarrel and the version regarding it being a result of not chanting Jai Shri Ram, was wrong.

''We have also seen in the footage that they were driving motorcycles side-by-side and having heated exchange of words. The matter is being investigated, but it has nothing to do with any religious slogan,'' she added.