Ahmedabad: Four youths beaten for refusing bhang on Shivratri

AHMEDABAD: Four youths were allegedly beaten by two persons, for denying them ‘bhang’, the cannabis-infused drink used as prasad on Shivratri, in the Nikol area of the city on Monday evening. The complainant, Abhishek Upadhyay, and his friends Vijaysinh Rajput, Ajay Patel, Bhavesh Tikekar and Harsh Parmar, all of about 20, were going to pray at a Shiva temple in Nikol. When they were near a private clinic, Two men, of around 45, asked them to have some bhang prasad. When Upadhyay told them that they take it as bhang has narcotic properties, the two men got furious and assaulted the youths. at their refusal. One of them started abusing the youths and pushing them.

“As they started hitting me, my friends and I tried to confront them. As they were well built, they assaulted us badly. On hearing the fight, some locals rushed in and rescued us,” said Upadhyay.

On seeing the mob gathering there, the two men, who seemed inebriated, tried to flee on their motorcycle. As Upadhyay had pulled out the motorcycle keys, they ran to the main road and managed to get a lift from a two-wheeler and fled. A mob later damaged the motorcycle on which the two persons had arrived.

Upadhyay’s friend, Rajput, suffered injuries to his face and was rushed to a private hospital. Nikol police later registered a case for assault and abetment against the two unknown men.