In Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa, a class 5 Muslim student was allegedly forced to chant Jai Shri Ram and then thrashed by one of his Hindu neighbours Ajay Bhil, while he was on his way to his tuition classes, on Wednesday, 28 December.
The incident is said to have happened under the Pandhana police station's area limit in Khandwa.
FIR Filed: The boy's father filed a complaint and a First Information Report was filed on Thursday, 29 December, under the sections 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) and 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code.
Talking to the media, Anil Chauhan, Deputy Superintendent of Police in Khandwa district, said:
We received a complaint in Pandhana police station that a boy (minor), while he was going to tuition, was harassed and forced to chant Jai Shri Ram by one Ajay Bhil. We registered an FIR under sections 295, 323 of the IPC and appropriate action will be taken post investigation.
'Accused Knew The Boy', Says Father: The boy's father, who runs a small shop selling iron boxes, told The Quint:
My son (name withheld) had gone for his tuition classes but returned within half an hour. He was crying and disturbed when he came back, so we asked him if anything had happened. After a while, he told us that one Ajay Bhil, who is also a resident of our colony stopped him and asked him to chant Jai Shri Ram. Ajay then went on to slap my child for not saying Jai Shri Ram and only let him go after he chanted Jai Shri Ram.
'Serious Action Should be Taken': The boy's father further said that his child was terrified by the incident and that police should take serious action against the culprit.
(With inputs from Khandwa's Sheik Shakeel)
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