.jpg?w=630&auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max&format=webp&dpr=1.0)
A group of men harassed a Muslim woman and a Hindu man in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar recently and a video of the incident is circulating on social media that showed how one of the accused was forcibly stripping off the woman's hijab and the others reportedly assaulted the man.
The video has sparked outrage among netizens. The UP police informed the media that six of the accused has been arrested after a complaint was filed.
What Happened?
The incident took place in Khalapar area when the duo, 20-year-old Farheen and a man named Sachin, were reportedly going to collect a loan instalment.
According to India Today, Farheen is a resident of Khalapar and is an employee of Utkarsh Small Finance Limited. Her mother Farhana was aware that she was accompanied by Sachin on a motorcycle.
About 8-10 men confronted the duo and went on to verbally and physically abuse them.
The video of the incident was captured by the bystanders and none of them were seen trying to help the victims.
Once the videos went viral on social media, the local authorities were alerted. The police arrived when the mob was still present in the area and they escorted the victims safely to the police station.
Reportedly, Farheen filed a complaint and a case was registered under relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
What Did Police Say?
Muzaffarnagar City Circle Officer (CO) Raju Kumar Sao was quoted by India Today, "On April 12, between approximately 4 and 4:30 PM, a Hindu man from Bhavan area and a Muslim woman from Khalapar, both associated with Utkarsh Small Finance Bank, were returning from Sujdu after collecting a loan installment. They were stopped and assaulted by some locals in Darzi Wali Gali."
He informed that six accused were arrested by the police after the complaint was filed.
"Further arrests will be made as more people are identified from the video. Strict legal action will follow," CO Raju Kumar Sao added.
