Interfaith couple harassed by mob in Hyderabad, four arrested

Hyderabad:

An interfaith couple was harassed and attacked in Hyderabad on Monday. Video of the incident went viral on social media, prompting Charminar police to launch an investigation and arrest four people.

In the viral video, several Muslim men confront a man accompanying a woman wearing a burqa and holding a baby. They repeatedly beat the man, allegedly assuming his Hindu identity and expressing their displeasure over his presence in Charminar with a Muslim woman.

The accused asked for proof of his religious affiliation and insisted on seeing his Aadhar card. Despite the pleas of the burqa-clad women, the victim suffered further harassment.

The police registered a case on Somo pattern on Tuesday and quickly formed a special team to hunt down the accused. The next day, four people were arrested. The defendant’s mobile phone, which contained evidence of the viral video, was confiscated to assist the investigation.

“The four persons physically abused the couple. The woman was carrying a baby. The accused also tried to harm the baby,” said Charminar ACP P Chandrasekhar. “The accused has been arrested and will be produced before court.”