On Wednesday, May 29, a violent altercation broke out among students at the Guru Nanak Dev Degree College, located in Mailoor on the outskirts of Bidar city in Karnataka. The conflict arose when a group of students from the Muslim community assaulted two Hindu students for chanting “Jai Shri Ram.”
The individuals accused of initiating the assault were identified as Basheer Khan, Gufran, Anses, Sheikh Pasha, and Bilal. The two victims of the attack were named Natraj and Veerendra.
The First Information Report (FIR number: 86/2024) was filed by Natraj himself at the Gandhi Ganj Police Station on May 29.
In his statement to the police, Natraj, a 22-year-old Lingayat student studying in the third year of Inarmeshan Sain at Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College, recounted the harrowing events that took place on May 29, 2024. At around 1:50 PM, during a cultural program held by the college, a group of students from the Muslim community assaulted Natraj and his friend Virendra for playing the “Jai Shri Ram” song.
The accused individuals were identified as: 1) Basheer Khan, 2) Gamfaran, 3) Anasthe, 4) Sheikh Pasha, 5) Bilal, 6) Muneeb, 7) Sarfaraja, 8) Rigjana, 9) Faizana, 10) Abdul Aziz, 11) Usman, 12) Hussain, 13) Saif Kharesi, 14) Hussain Qadri, 15) Mirza Ali Bashira, 16) Farrakhan Zabi, and 17) Shakib. These students, numbering around 15, attacked Natraj and Veerendra with their hands and swords, causing injuries to their heads and foreheads.
Natraj and Veerendra were not the only victims; other students were also targeted and subsequently fled to their homes. The assailants specifically targeted Natraj and Veerendra because they played the “Jai Shri Ram” song, resulting in hidden injuries.
In response to Natraj’s complaint, the accused individuals have been formally charged under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), namely sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (causing hurt by dangerous weapons), and 149 (unlawful assembly).
Bidar Deputy Commissioner Govind Reddy has shed light on the incident, stating that the commotion occurred during a play practice session for a youth festival scheduled on May 31 at the college campus.
During the practice session, the two Hindu students chanted “Jai Shri Ram,” which was part of the play’s script. This act offended the Muslim students, who then assaulted the Hindu students. Subsequently, students from both communities engaged in quarrels on the campus, leading to physical altercations and manhandling between them.
The police promptly arrived at the scene and dispersed the two groups. Reddy has assured that the situation is fully under control and there is no need to impose prohibitory orders. Police security has been tightened in and around the college to ensure peace.
In response to the incident, the college has decided to cancel the youth festival that was scheduled for May 31, 2024.
On May 23, Organiser reported a similar incident from Maharashtra where a Hindu man was assaulted by Muslim men for having Jai Shri Ram bhajan as mobile ringtone.
Vicky Hiwale fell victim to a vicious attack in Maharashtra’s Jalna, purportedly due to his affinity for Bhagwan Ram. The assailants, identified as Sameer and Ehsan, unleashed violence upon Vicky for the mere fact of having a Ram Bhajan as his mobile ringtone. As they wielded a bamboo stick as their weapon, it is reported that Sameer seemed oblivious to the gravity of his actions.
The harrowing incident, which occurred on May 12, was not promptly reported by the police until May 17, when a formal complaint was eventually lodged.
Shockingly, despite the severity of the assault, no arrests have been made in connection with the case.
Meanwhile, Vicky Hiwale continues to grapple with the aftermath, confined to his home due to the sustained injuries.
In a conversation with Organiser on May 22, Vicky’s wife, Vidhi, revealed the dire impact of the incident on their family. Vicky, who served as the sole provider, is now bedridden, causing a significant disruption to their livelihood.
Vidhi, a homemaker, is left to care for their three-year-old child alone.
Due to the challenges of shuttling between home, hospital, and police stations daily, Vidhi has brought Vicky back home.
It is worth noting that Vicky sustained severe injuries and was hospitalised for four consecutive days, undergoing intensive treatment.
Expressing frustration with the lack of progress in the case, Vidhi lamented the absence of arrests despite media coverage. She emphasised the urgency of apprehending the perpetrators.
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