No respite in assaults on Muslims in the name of Jai Shri Ram, as police decline to file FIR

In another instance of targeted violence, three Muslim labourers were assaulted on 6 June by a mob affiliated with Hindutva groups in Ranchi’s Namkum area after they refused to chant Jai Shri Ram, while the police refused to register an FIR against the assailants and instead accused the victims of lying, asking them to remove the detail about the forced chant from their written complaint.

The attack reportedly occurred when the Muslim men, who had returned from offering afternoon prayers at a mosque and were resting near their workplace, were approached by a group of individuals who questioned them about their identity.

Once the mob learnt their names and observed their attire, which included kurta-pyjamas, they allegedly forced them to vacate the area, prompting a confrontation that escalated as the crowd swelled to over 30 people, according to The Siasat Daily.

The victims recounted that the mob’s leader responded to their objections with threats and intimidation, insisting they chant Jai Shri Ram, and began assaulting them when they refused. Accusing them of being cow thieves, the attackers allegedly tied two of the workers to a tree and beat them with sticks, while the third managed to escape and alert colleagues, whose intervention likely prevented a fatal outcome.

Despite the severity of the attack, the victims claimed that police not only dismissed their account but also omitted crucial details from the initial complaint, including the demand to chant Jai Shri Ram. Although the victims insisted on correcting the report, the police allegedly accused them of spreading false information and continued to alter the narrative in the written statement.