Youth stripped, forced to chant Jai Shri Ram in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, family alleges; cops deny claims

Meerut (UP): A youth was allegedly beaten, stripped and forced to chant Jai Shri Ram here, his family alleged on Monday. However, police have denied that he was stripped and forced to chant by the accused and said that it prima facie appears to be a case of enmity.

The incident took place at around 8 pm on Saturday when Gulfam, a resident of Sofipur village in Pallavpuram, was returning home after practising at a private shooting range in Mangal Pandey Nagar, his father, Aftab, said.

Aftab alleged that Gulfam was taken to Victoria Park by three youths on a motorcycle where they beat him, stripped him and forced him to chant Jai Shri Ram. They also snatched his mobile phone.

Family members of the victim also claimed that he fell unconscious after he was thrashed and stripped.

However, the police have denied the charges of stripping and forced chanting.

SHO, Civil Lines Mahavir Singh said, "There is no mention of forcing the victim to chant Jai Shri Ram in the FIR. It is a prima facie case of enmity between youths." Based on Aftab's complaint, an FIR was registered in the case Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 324 (mischief), Circle officer, Civil Lines, Abhishek Tiwari.

Efforts are being made to arrest the accused, SHO Singh said.

Gulfam is presently undergoing treatment at a private hospital here. He is preparing for the national shooting competition, his family said.