Urdu Teacher Forced To Chant 'Jai Shri Ram' In Ghaziabad Society; 1 Arrested
An Urdu teacher visiting a society in Ghaziabad for private tuition on Tuesday was allegedly abused and harassed by a resident and was told to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ aloud. When the teacher remained silent, he was forced to get off the elevator and told to leave the society premises.
The resident, identified as Manoj Kumar, was arrested on Wednesday and charged under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections for including wrongful restraint (section 126 (2)), intentional insult (352), and criminal intimidation (351 (3)), among others.
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The teacher, Mohammad Alamgir, recalled that Kumar looked at the teacher “in a strange manner” and asked him where he was going while they waited for the elevator on the ground floor of Panchsheel Wellington in Crossings Republik.
When Alamgir told him that he taught Urdu at a flat on the 16th floor, Kumar allegedly told him to say “Jai Shri Ram.” When the teacher ignored Kumar, a businessman by profession, the latter’s behaviour turned aggressive.
Alamgir told the police that Kumar pushed him out on the first floor when the lift stopped before calling another resident, to whom he said, “Musalman kabse aane lage is society mein (since when have Muslims started coming to this society?)”
The Urdu teacher further alleged that the second resident also abused him as they prevented him from going up to the 16th floor. When other residents intervened, they requested he leave, citing “the current atmosphere.”
He was once again told to chant “Jai Shri Ram” by Kumar. When Alamgir remained silent, Kumar and the second resident took him to the ground floor and became aggressive. Shortly after, the security guard and another resident arrived; they took his number and asked him to leave the society premises immediately.
“I left without taking my class,” Alamgir said.
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An FIR was registered against Kumar, and he was arrested. Wave City ACP Lipi Nagayach added that during interrogation, Kumar told the police that he was “under the influence of alcohol” at the time of the incident.
The police added that an investigation was underway and any other accused would be identified.
