Uttarakhand man assaulted for offering namaz on vacant land near temple

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.

Police visited the site, urged both communities to maintain peace, sent Shahid for a medical exam, and promised action based on the complaint.

Municipal Councillor Parvez Qureshi called the assault "unacceptable," demanding an impartial probe and strict punishment to prevent repeats. "This matter is extremely serious. Assaulting a person is unacceptable. If anyone had any objection, 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 condemned it as harmful to social harmony, urging the state government to uphold law and order and deliver justice per the Constitution.

(Inputs from IANS)