Uttarakhand: Muslim Man Beaten For Offering Namaz Near Temple In Rudrapur

An elderly Muslim man was allegedly assaulted with sticks and forced to chant religious slogans after offering namaz on vacant land near a temple in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand, police said.

According to PTI, the incident took place in the Jagatpura area of Rudrapur city when the victim, Shahid, a resident of Resham Bari, performed prayers during the ongoing month of Ramzan in front of the Atriya Temple. A video of the assault, now circulating on social media, shows the accused thrashing the man and hurling abuses at him.

Shahid stated that he had been working near the temple for several days and insisted the land where he offered namaz was quite far from the temple itself.

After the incident, members of the Muslim community accompanied Shahid to the local police station in Rudrapur and filed a complaint. PTI reported that they claimed one of the accused had previously been convicted in a murder case and is currently out on parole.

Temple manager Arvind Sharma said activities associated with any other religion will not be tolerated on the temple land, even if a case is filed against him.

Police reached the spot in Jagatpura and appealed to both communities to maintain peace. Shahid is undergoing medical examination, and further legal action will be taken based on the complaint, police added.

Municipal Councillor Parvez Qureshi termed the incident unacceptable. "This matter is extremely serious. Assaulting a person is unacceptable. If anyone had any objection (to namaz being offered), the administration should have been informed. We demand an impartial investigation and strict action against the culprits to avoid a repeat of such incidents in the future," he said.

Congress leader Sofia Naz said the incident is detrimental to social harmony. "Maintaining law and order in the state is the responsibility of the state government. Violence and forced chanting of slogans in the name of religion are against the spirit of the Constitution. The administration should take immediate action and provide justice to the victim," Naz said.

The matter has raised concerns about communal harmony in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand, with calls for a prompt and fair probe.

(With inputs from PTI)