Gang beat up Muslim man in Bharuch after hearing his name: report

Bharuch: After asking his name and identifying his community, a 22-year-old man was beaten up by a group of five in Gujarat's Bharuch on Saturday.

A case was registered and police is looking for the accused, The Indian Express reported.

Faisal Khan, a resident of Andheri, Mumbai, was leaving from his workplace when the alleged incident happened. Faisal on July 6 joined a company that is into tyre manufacturing.

He told The Indian Express, “I left on my bike and after going around 100 metres, I saw five youth in a verbal duel with another youth who was travelling on bike. I did not pay attention and tried to skirt around the group when the men, speaking local language, caught hold of me and asked my name. When I said my name, they asked which company I was working for. I gave the company’s address when three of them started slapping me. When I asked what was my fault, they replied with fists. Somehow I managed to escape from the spot as my bike was on. I hid myself at a distance and informed a colleague, Imtiyaz Shaikh, about the incident.”

When three of the five youth went away from the spot, Faisal made his way out to go to office.

However, the other two men again stopped Faisal and started beating him. “I took out my belt in defence but they caught hold of it and beat me with it. I left my bike and ran to the company gate. They chased me and beat me up again. The company security guards, instead of helping me, escaped from the spot. Meanwhile, the other three men joined them and forced me into an autorickshaw, took me to a lonely place nearby and again beat me up. They left me there when they were tired.”

Faisal informed his colleagues and was taken to the Patel Welfare Hospital in Bharuch. The hospital authorities informed police about the incident.

A case against five unknown men was registered under IPC sections 323, 504, 114 and 506(2).

On Munday, Faisal Khan was discharged from the hospital and he left for Mumbai.

Dahej police sub-inspector S N Patil said, “We have recorded the statements of the victim and lodged a complaint against five youth. We came to know that all them who were speaking Gujarati were from nearby Galanda village. We have checked CCTV cameras of the company and found that the victim was beaten up by five youth. We have launched a search for them.”

A contractor with the company told The Indian Express, “I was admitted to a hospital in Mumbai when the incident happened. I returned to Dahej from Mumbai today (Monday) afternoon and I am trying to get information about the incident. I met Faisal and will verify it with the other people working in the unit. When the incident took place there were 70 people working in the firm. At present, it is difficult to say anything about the incident. Police are investigating.”