Muslim man's assault: UP Police to slap NSA on man who made video

Ghaziabad: A local Samajwadi Party worker, who has been accused of making a video of an elderly Muslim man who was assaulted on his way to mosque in UP's Ghaziabad, will be behind bars under stringent the National Security Act.

The Ghaziabad police are to recommend the NSA against Ummaid Pehelwan Idrisi for the video in which the assaulted elderly man claimed that he was attacked and forced to chant 'Jai Shri Ram'.

Idrisi was earlier arrested from Delhi on June 19 by the Ghaziabad police following a complaint against him. If charged under the NSA, the police can detain the accused for a period of one year with a review by the High Court every three months.

A video of Abdul Samad Saifi is being attacked by some young men had circulated. Soon after another video appeared in which Saifi claimed the attackers cut his beard and force him to chant 'Jai Shri Ram'. Saifi was on his way to the mosque when the attack happened.

The video in which Saifi claimed detailed the torments he had undergone in the attack was reportedly made by Idrisi. The Police alleged that Idrisi had the intention to create social disharmony by making a video and circulating it on social media.

"We are in the process of recommending (to the Uttar Pradesh government) the NSA against him. The formalities would be completed today," Senior Superintendent of Police Amit Pathak told PTI on Monday.

Idrisi was booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 153A (promoting enmity between groups on ground of religion, class etc), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious belief), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 505 (public mischief).

A separate FIR was lodged against him on June 17 in adjoining Bulandshahr district, the native place of Saifi, that charged him and around 100 others with violation of the COVID-19 norms by holding a public gathering in connection with the attack on Saifi on June 16, the officials said.

The police maintain that Saifi was attacked on June 5 over personal enmity and the episode was given a communal colour by some people. So far, around a dozen accused in the assault case has been arrested, the officials said.