Three men on Wednesday traveling in a car in Bangalore faced assault for chanting “Jai Shri Ram” by two individuals on motorcycles. After the video of the incident went viral on the internet, an FIR was filed at Vidyaranyapura police station, resulting in the arrest of three suspects, while another managed to flee.
The two identified suspects, Farman and Sameer, are residents of MS Palya.
According to reports, the said altercation took place in the Chikkabettahalli area when the three men in the car, displaying a flag and chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ in celebration of Ram Navami, were confronted by two motorcyclists objecting to their chants.
The accused demanded the men to chant “Allah Hu Akbar” instead and attempted to snatch their flags. The confrontation escalated into physical assault, with Farman fetching a stick to beat the trio.
During the attack, one of the men sustained a head injury from the stick, while another suffered a nose injury. According to DCP Northeast, Bengaluru City, BM Laxmi Prasad, the altercation ensued when the men were questioned for their slogans.
The accused face charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including those related to intentional religious offense, causing hurt with a dangerous weapon, criminal intimidation, and rioting.
(The article is published under a mutual content partnership arrangement between The Free Press Journal and Connected to India)