India : Jul 29, 2019, 03:08 PM
Chandauli: The family of a 17-yr-old boy has alleged that he was set ablaze by some people when he refused to chant ‘Jai Sri Ram‘. However, police here suspect foul play.SP Chandauli said that the boy, Khalid, has given different statements which were found to be false in the investigation. An eyewitness saw him setting himself ablaze.The SP said, “He’s admitted in a hospital with 45% burns. He had given different statements to different people, so it seemed suspicious. It seemed he had been tutored. Police monitored CCTV footage of places he had mentioned and found that he had not been at any of those places.”The incident comes in the wake of similar episodes reported from across the country where people were harassed and even lynched while being forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’.Earlier this month, as many as 12 youths have been booked for allegedly forcing a Muslim cleric to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram‘ and tugging at his beard in Baghpat district of the state.Superintendent of Police Shailesh Kumar Pandey said, “Prime facie, it seems to be a matter of physical assault. Even then, the police have registered a case against 12 youngsters on the basis of the cleric’s complaint. Action will be taken against them on the basis of a probe.”He said that Muzaffarnagar resident Imam Imlaq-ur-Rehman was on his way to his village on his motorcycle on Saturday, when nearly 12 youngsters accosted him, beat him up and also pulled his beard. The Imam claimed he was also forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’, the SP said.