On Monday night, in Ranchi, Jharkhand, a Muslim youth named Obaidullah Hasnain was violently assaulted and coerced into chanting the Hindutva slogan “Jai Shri Ram” by a group of individuals.
Hasnain, a resident of the Hindpidhi area, was attacked by 4-5 people armed with sticks, resulting in him losing consciousness.
Hasnain recounted that while he was out on an errand near Hindi School, he was verbally abused by a group. When he objected, they surrounded him, demanded he chant the slogan, and physically assaulted him. The violence escalated as individuals from nearby temples joined in the attack.
“I sustained a severe fracture in my hand and managed to escape. My family later took me to the Hindpuri police station to file a complaint, but no action has been taken yet,” he said.
The victim identified several attackers, including Vishnu, Golu, Karan, and Hritik. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Prakash Sai, confirmed that action has been initiated following the complaint.
“We are verifying the names provided and will ensure that the culprits are arrested and prosecuted,” he stated. The DCP noted that the attack followed a religious slur against Hasnain and that he has been sent to the hospital for treatment.
Jharkhand has recently seen a spate of lynching incidents, including the recent case of Akhtar Ansari, who was allegedly lynched over an accusation of goat theft.
In December 2021, Jharkhand became the fourth state to enact legislation against mob lynching, following West Bengal, Manipur, and Rajasthan.