A cab driver was assaulted by three men in Mumbai on Monday and forced to chant Jai Shri Ram. Recounting his experience, 25-year-old Faisal Usman Khan told Indian Express that the incident took place at 3 am when he was picking up passengers from Manav Kalyan Hospital in Diva. He was driving towards the destination when the car broke down.
"I switched on the parking lights and was trying to restart the car when three men on a scooter came from behind and started banging the windows. They were reeking of alcohol and wanted to know why I had stopped my vehicle in the middle of the road," Faisal said. The men then took the keys away and began hitting Faisal.
He went on to say that the men used abusive language against him and his religion and told him to chant Jai Shri Ram.
In his statement to police, Faisal said that the accused hit him and when he screamed 'Ya Allah', they began to hit him even more and asked him to chant Jai Shri Ram.
The men had also dragged one of the passengers out. It was when another passenger began to call the police that the men ran away but not before taking Faisal's phone away.
Faisal had noted down the bike's number and it helped the police nab the assailants. "The victim had noted down the registration number of the bike, which helped us trace the accused. The bike belonged to Jaideep Mundhe, 26, who was riding it that day. We also arrested Mangesh Mundhe, 30, and Anil Suryawanshi, 22. All of them are residents of Agasan village. The accused don't have any previous cases against them," a police officer from the Thane police station said.
"Based on the content of the complaint, we have registered an offence and have also included the section for insulting and hurting religious beliefs. The three accused have been arrested by the police and are in our custody. Further investigation is going on," the police added.
A case has been filed under various sections of the India Penal Code, including 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 392 (robbery), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
