Kanpur (UP), August 13
Six people, including one having affiliation to the Vishva Hindu Parishad, were arrested for allegedly thrashing a Muslim e-rickshaw driver here and asking him to chant "Jai Shri Ram", police said on Friday.
Three arrested on Thursday night were released on bail by police. The other three, who were held on Friday, are still in police custody.
The incident had taken place at the Kacchi Basti locality in the Barra area of Kanpur on Wednesday.
A one-minute video of the incident surfaced on social media, in which 45-year-old Asrar Ahmad is seen being thrashed by some men who ask him to chant "Jai Shri Ram". Ahmed's daughter is seen clinging to her father and begging the assailants not to hurt her father.
Kanpur Commissioner of Police Asim Kumar Arun said three arrested men were released on bail from the police station as the offences had a maximum penalty of seven years or less.
They were booked under Sections 147 (rioting), 295 (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings), 323 (voluntary causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.
Those who got bail from police were identified as Aman Gupta, having affiliation to the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP); Rajesh, alias Jay; and Rahul. The other three arrested on Friday are Ankit Verma, Kesu and Shivam, the police commissioner said.
Asim Arun said the victim was saved by police, who brought him to the police station.
On the basis of his complaint, a case was registered against the people seen assaulting him in the video.
DCP (South) Raveena Tyagi told PTI, "Once the viral video came to our notice, we took cognisance and registered an FIR under relevant sections of the IPC". Several teams were formed to identify and arrest the culprits, she added.
After the arrests were made, some people associated with Hindu outfits sat on a dharna outside the DCP office on Thursday night.
They left after police convinced them to end their sit-in.
A detailed investigation into the incident is on to find the reasons behind the assault, said SHO Harmeet Singh.
The three arrested on Friday will also be released on bail from the police station after proper interrogation, he added. — PTI