Mumbai: A case has been filed against four individuals from Kranti Nagar, Kandivali East, accused of causing hurt and provoking a breach of peace. The complaint alleges that these men physically assaulted him after he refused to say 'Jai Shri Ram' as demanded by them. The complainant has also claimed that the individuals are associated with the Bajrang Dal.
The accused, identified as Suraj Tiwari, Arun Pandey, Pandit and Rajesh, have been charged under sections 323 (causing hurt), 34 (common intention), 341 (wrongful restraint), 504 (provoking breach of the peace), and 506 (public mischief) at Kurar police station on September 27.
Details On The Incident
According to the FIR, on September 26, Siddharth Angure (34), who works with Mahindra company on a contract basis and resides in Krantinagar, Kandivali East, was returning home from his office at 11.30 pm on September 25. He was talking with his brother over the phone on the way when suddenly four individuals stopped him on the road and demanded that he say 'Jai Shri Ram.'
Angure refused, and the accused verbally abused him, questioning his religious affiliation. They then physically assaulted him, beating him with their hands and legs, and dragged him on the ground. His brother overheard the incident over the phone, and he and his nephew immediately arrived at the scene, rescuing Angure from the accused.
Later, Angure was admitted to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital in Kandivali West for treatment. After being discharged, he went to the Kurar police station and registered a case against the four individuals.
Siddharth Angure stated, "When I was returning home from work, a group of hooligans blocked my path and demanded that I say 'Jai Shri Ram,' which I refused to do. Since I refused, they began physically assaulting me. They also inquired about my religion, and I disclosed it. They were from Gokul Nagar and had sat at a place in this area. Since the Ganpati Festival had started, they had been obstructing the path of vulnerable individuals and senior citizens, pressuring them to say 'Jai Shri Ram.' In my presence, they asked two-three people to say 'Jai Shri Ram,' and they followed the instructions, but I refused, so they beat me. The police filed a normal FIR and did not register the FIR that I had requested. These accused individuals are with the Bajrang Dal."
FPJ attempted to contact senior police officers but was unsuccessful. As per reports, among the four assailants, Suraj Tiwari (age 30) and Roshan alias Kabir Mishra were swiftly arrested. However, Arun Pandey and Rajesh, a rickshaw puller, managed to evade capture and are currently on the run.
Mumbai Congress condemned the incident as disastrous for the community. "Mumbaikars will not tolerate this," stated Mumbai Congress in a post on social media platform X.
Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, who rushed to the assistance of the victim, helped him file an FIR against the attackers. Sujat Ambedkar, VBA leader also came forward and spoke to the police, demanding appropriate action in the matter.
