By Web Desk
Rudrapur: An elderly Muslim man was allegedly beaten with sticks and forced to chant religious slogans after offering namaz on vacant land near a temple in Uttarakhand’s Rudrapur, police said on Tuesday, February 24.
A video circulating on social media shows the assailants abusing and thrashing Shahid, a resident of Resham Bari, as he stood nearby. The incident occurred in front of Atriya Temple in Jagatpura during Ramadan.
Shahid, who had been working in the area for several days, insisted the spot was “quite far from the temple.”
After the assault, Muslim community members escorted Shahid to the local police station to file a complaint. They alleged one attacker was a murder convict out on parole.
Temple manager Arvind Sharma defended the response, stating “activities associated with any other religion will not be tolerated on temple land,” even if it leads to legal action.
This story was originally published in madhyamamonline.com. Read the full story here.