Two Muslim men were allegedly forced to chant “Jai Shri Ram” in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, on Sunday night.
This is the second such incident in the city in the last few days. Security has been stepped up following the incident, a police official said.
Shaikh Amer, who works with food ordering app Zomato, and his friend Shaikh Nasir were waiting to hire an auto-rickshaw in Azad Chowk area on Sunday night when four to five men in a car allegedly intercepted the duo, abused their religious identity and threatened to kill them if they did not say “Jai Shri Ram”, he said.
Shaikh Aamer, one the victims, told reporters that the incident took place at Azad Chowk when he was out for work with his friend. He claimed that the duo was waylaid by a few miscreants who came in a car.
“They asked us to chant Jai Shri Ram, which we refused. They did not thrash us. They threatened us and fled away,” Aamer told.
The incident has been caught in the CCTV camera installed at the spot. Heavy deployment of police is in place to maintain law and order.
“The case is being investigated and I would appeal people to maintain peace and not fall for rumours,” said Chiranjeevi Prasad, Police Commissioner, Aurangabad.
This comes after a man was allegedly thrashed by a group of unidentified men and forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ in Aurangabad on July 19.
Imran Ismail Patel, a hotel employee, said in his complaint that a gang of around ten goons stopped him near Hudco Corner in Begumpura area when he was returning home on a motorbike in the early hours.
The men thrashed Patel and forced him to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ thrice.
Incidents of members of the minority community being cornered and forced to say “Jai Shri Ram” or ‘hail Lord Ram’ have been reported recently from various parts of the country, including Thane in Maharashtra.
