3 Muslim men assaulted in India, forced to chant Hindu slogan
One victim remains in critical condition after mob attack in Uttar Pradesh; police deny religious motive despite witness accounts
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Three Muslim men were brutally assaulted in northern India after being stopped on a village road, asked to reveal their names, and forced to chant “Jai Shri Ram,” a Hindu nationalist slogan often invoked during mob violence.
According to Maktoob Media, the attack took place on August 26 in Partapur village of Hapur district, Uttar Pradesh, when Aamir (28), Wasim (28), and Rizwan (24) were riding home on a motorcycle from nearby Pilkhuwa. Four Hindu men allegedly intercepted them, confirmed they were Muslim, and then beat them with sticks and metal rods.
The assailants were identified as Deepak, Nikhil, JJ Kant, and Pankaj. Two of the men, Aamir and Rizwan, managed to escape, while Wasim was tied up and thrashed before being rescued by relatives. He was admitted in critical condition to J.S. Hospital in Pilkhuwa, where he remains in intensive care.
Afroz, Wasim’s brother and the complainant in the case, said, “On their way back, they were stopped near Partapur village by four Hindu men identified as Deepak, Nikhil, JJ Kant, and Pankaj. We have filed a complaint at the police station and demand a fair probe.”
He added that the attackers even attempted to kidnap the victims: “We are thankful their lives are spared. We are told the assailants tried to take them inside a room. Aamir and Rizwan somehow reached the village; otherwise, something untoward could have happened.”
Aamir, who escaped the assault, described the ordeal: “We were trying to record a video on the road, unaware that someone would attack us. They asked our names. After that, they started beating us.” He alleged that the attackers forced them to chant “Jai Shri Ram” and hurled communal slurs such as “Katwa” and “Mulla” — derogatory terms for Muslims in India.
“They were trying to lock us in a room, but we managed to escape. Wasim could not escape and was badly assaulted. Had we not escaped, they would have lynched us,” Aamir recalled.
A First Information Report (FIR) was filed on August 27 at Pilkhuwa Police Station under provisions of wrongful restraint and attempted murder, naming the four Hindu men as accused.
Police, however, have presented a conflicting account. Station House Officer Sudhir Kumar, who is leading the investigation, denied that Hindutva slogans were involved. “The injured have been admitted to the hospital and are currently receiving treatment. We are verifying all allegations. The claim about religious sloganeering is not true so far,” he said.
He added that the victims were allegedly making Instagram videos outside the attackers’ house and were mistaken for thieves, which led to the beating. “There is no religious angle to it,” Kumar said.
The families of the victims insist the assault was religiously motivated and are demanding accountability. Community members fear that the case could be downplayed, given the frequent use of “Jai Shri Ram” chants during attacks on Muslims in India.
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