By Waquar Hasan
NEW DELHI – A 17-year-old Muslim girl was assaulted, and her mother harassed by Hindutva groups after the girl spoke about slaughtering cows in an interview with a YouTuber. The incident took place in Tulsi Niketan, Ghaziabad, where the girl’s remarks—expressing that she would eat beef after slaughtering cows—went viral on social media.
The Hindu Raksha Dal, a Hindutva organization, accused the girl of making objectionable statements about Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, fueling an online backlash. As the video of her remarks spread, a mob, reportedly led by Hindutva leaders, gathered outside her home, hurling insults and issuing threats to her mother. One video captured the group shouting abuse at the mother, while another showed the girl being paraded and slapped by the mob, which included men and transgenders. The assault was later claimed by Pinki Chaudhry, the chief of the Hindu Raksha Dal, who declared that the act was carried out by his female members. He stated that anyone using offensive words about cow, Hindutva, or Yogi Adityanath would be “taught a lesson.”
As the video of the mob assault spread across social media, there was widespread outrage, with calls for the Ghaziabad police to take action. The Deputy Commissioner of Police confirmed that two individuals were arrested, and a First Information Report (FIR) was filed under the relevant sections. Police assured that further legal proceedings were underway.
However, the situation worsened when Rehana, the girl’s mother, reported that her daughter had gone missing after attempting to file a complaint at the police station. Rehana, who lives alone with her daughter, claimed that she was told to leave her home by the police, who allegedly threatened her with harm if she stayed. In an emotional interview, Rehana expressed her distress, saying she had no idea where her daughter was and fearing for her own safety. “I don’t know where my daughter is. She said she was at the police station, but then her phone switched off. When I went there, they made me sit there the whole day,” she said.
This story was originally published in thehindustangazette.com. Read the full story here.