A video of a Muslim man being thrashed by a mob even as his young daughter wept while clinging to him has gone viral, triggering widespread backlash online. The incident took place in the Varun Vihar area of Kanpur on Wednesday, and showed Aftar being beaten and made to chant 'Jai Shri Ram'.
Throughout, the victim's minor daughter can be seen crying and clinging to him and begging the mob to spare her father. According to Aftar's family members, Bajrang Dal members barged into their house on Wednesday evening, accusing him of trying to forcibly convert a Hindu woman into Islam. The mob then took him out on the road, where he was paraded and beaten.
Meanwhile, a woman in Aftar's neighbourhood has alleged that he and his family had been pressurizing her to convert to Islam. She claimed she even approached the police and registered a complaint but no action was taken. Bajrang Dal district organiser Dilip Singh admitted that his outfit did take 'action' against Aftar.
"Two days ago, we filed a complaint of religious conversion with the police but they did not take any action on it. Since the police did not take any action, we took an action," he said.
The incident has sparked fury online, with many dubbing the perpetrators "inhuman". Others insisted that no citizen of India, or indeed any human being should have to face such hatred.
"I am a mother. I am a journalist. I am a citizen of this country. The Kanpur video sears my conscience and soul at all levels. No child should have to face such cruelty. No father should face such hate and violence," read one tweet.
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