By Sayima Ahmad
A class 12 Muslim student was arrested by Assam police in the Cachar district shortly after a brutal assault by a mob linked to Hindutva groups, accusing him of “love jihad” for talking to a female Hindu friend on school premises.
The incident unfolded on Friday when the teenage boy identified as Ali Ahmed was spotted talking to a Hindu classmate near a higher secondary school in Narsingapur.
Ali recounted his ordeal stating that upon learning of his name, a group of 15 to 20 individuals surrounded him and began to physically assault him. “They asked my name and when I replied Ali Ahmed, they started beating me mercilessly without further inquiry”, Ali said.
According to the police statement, two persons of the mob were Ali’s classmates. In purported videos that went viral on social media, Ali is seen shirtless and tied to a pole, bleeding as he was reportedly dragged and paraded in front of a crowd.
In the footage, Ali is seen screaming, pleading for mercy, and trying to explain to the mob that he has no romantic involvement with the girl. However, the furious mob also harassed the girl physically, demanding she reveal her identity for the video.
This story was originally published in siasat.com. Read the full story here.