Bajrang Dal goons force Muslim man out of train alleging "Love Jihad"

Bhopal: Activists of the rightwing outfit Bajrang Dal, here forced a Muslim man and a married Hindu woman out of a train headed to Ajmer. The men accused the man of "Love Jihad" and manhandled him while forcing him out of the train and brought him before railway police in Ujjain, The Indian Express reported.

The Muslim in the January 14 incident was identified as Asif Shaikh, an electronics shop owner and the woman is a school teacher. In a viral video, three men daringly identify themselves as Bajrang Dal activists, drag Sheikh out of the train and the woman is seen walking along with them. In another video taken inside the police station, the woman was seen screaming as she tries to make them understand they are mistaken. She says she is an adult and a school teacher.

The victims of the assault were interrogated by the railway police and were kept inside the station until their parents arrived. They were dismissed only after their statement was taken. However, no case was registered against the Bajrang Dal members and the police reasoned that no complaint was received against them.

Meanwhile, railway police superintendent Nivedita Gupta said that the victims of the assault were family friends and have known each other for years. They were allowed to leave and no case was charged against them since they are adults, she said. Regarding the assailants, she said that the police were not aware of Sheikh being manhandled nor did the victims mention the same. Since no complaints were received, no case was charged against them.

VHP Prachar Pramukh in Malwa Prant, Kundan Chandrawat, said that the organization received intel that a Hindu woman was being coerced and taken along with a Muslim man. To protect "Hindu sisters" they intervened. Sheikh got aggressive and the activists had to exert force, but no one was assaulted, he said.