In yet another incident of hate, An elderly Muslim man was brutally assaulted in the Loni area of Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad district while on his way to a mosque to offer prayers.
News reports said that Abdul Samad was abducted from an autorickshaw and dragged to a hut in a nearby forested area, where they reportedly shouted ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ as they slapped and punched him, and beat him with wooden sticks.
The report further said that Adul Samad was on the way to the msoque when he was caught and accused of being of Pakistani spy.
A video of the incident that as gone viral online shows one of the attackers wearing a white full-sleeve T-shirt and blue pants threatening Abdul Samad with a knife that he used to forcibly hack away at his beard.
“I was on my way to offer prayers, when they offered me a lift. Two more men then got inside (the auto rickshaw) and told me to stay. Then they took me to a room and locked me up and thrashed me. They forced me to chant slogans… they took my mobile away… they got a knife and cut my beard,” a visibly traumatized Mr. Samad, who was reduced to tears, said.
Police have registered a case and arrested a Pravesh Gujjar – believed to be the main accused. They are still looking for the others