In yet another incident of religious intolerance, three youths were allegedly thrashed by four miscreants in the wee hours on Friday and forced them to chant Jai Shri Ram in Lower Assam’s Barpeta district.
The incident took place at Jyoti Gaon area near the Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College & Hospital at Barpeta town.
“Four persons in two motorcycles came to Khan Medical store around 1 am on Friday and thrashed Rakibul Haque, Burhan Ali and Kurban Khan, who were working there at the medical store. They also forced the trio to chant “Jai Shri Ram”,” said Wajed Ali secretary of West Barpeta Traders’ Association who had lodged an FIR in this regard.
“There was absolutely no reasons for the atrocities as the three youths were working in the medical store. The four miscreants also abused verbally and tried to kill Rakibul by strangulating him. However, some of the local people gathered there as Burhan and Kurban shouted for help forcing the miscreants to flee without the motorcycles,” Wajed Ali said in the FIR.
An FIR has already been filed in this regard and the police later came and seized the two motorcycles used by the miscreants.
Last month police had arrested one Debajit Deka for forcing some Muslim youths to chant “Jai Shri Ram”in Barpeta district.
Deka who is an office bearer of Ram Sena, also recorded the incident and post it on social media.
Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) working president Ashraful Islam expressed concern over the growing incidents of religious intolerance and said that some of the people backed by Hindutva forces are trying to disrupt the peace and communal harmony in Barpeta district.
He demanded stern action against the miscreants so that such forces could not disturb the age-hold communal harmony in the district.