Muslim father and son assaulted over false beef claims in India
Police say allegations of cow meat sales were baseless after Hindu extremists beat hotel owner and minor son and circulated videos
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A Muslim hotel owner and his minor son were beaten, humiliated and forced to publicly apologize by a group of Hindu extremists in eastern India after being falsely accused of serving beef, according to police and videos that have sparked outrage on social media.
The attack took place on June 14 in Bihar state’s Purnea district, where Mohammad Tajammul and his son were reportedly targeted by men linked to Hindutva, or Hindu extremist, groups. Videos of the assault surfaced online days later, prompting a police investigation and criminal case.
Footage circulating on social media showed the father and son being struck with bamboo sticks, chairs and other objects while a crowd accused them of selling cow and buffalo meat. In some clips, the pair appeared to be publicly humiliated and forced to perform sit-ups while holding their ears, a form of punishment commonly used to shame people in public.
Another video showed Tajammul touching the feet of his attackers and pleading for the violence to stop. Family members also alleged that a younger child present during the incident was mishandled.
According to Tajammul, the confrontation began after several men ate at his roadside hotel and refused to pay their bill. He said the dispute escalated when he demanded payment, after which the men began recording videos and accusing him of selling beef.
Following the circulation of the videos, local police searched the hotel and found no evidence supporting the claims that beef or buffalo meat was being served.
In a statement issued after the investigation, police said allegations being circulated online about cow and buffalo meat were false and misleading. Authorities also confirmed that the assault had taken place and said inflammatory social media posts had contributed to the spread of misinformation.
Police have registered a criminal case against three named suspects and several unidentified individuals. Among those mentioned in complaints is a local strongman identified as Abhijeet Kumar Yadav, who victims alleged played a leading role in the attack.
The accused face allegations including assault, criminal intimidation and spreading false information intended to disturb communal harmony. Police said efforts were underway to locate and arrest those involved.
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