Muslim youth assaulted by armed gang for consuming beef in Tamil Nadu, four held

Nagapattinam: Four people were arrested on Friday for allegedly assaulting a Muslim youth who uploaded pictures of himself consuming beef soup on Facebook.

Mohamed Faizaan, 24, a mechanical engineering diploma holder from Poravacheri, was assaulted by a group of dozen people on Thursday night. Faizaan had consumed beef soup in an eatery near Nagapattinam on Thursday.

Four suspects have been arrested for the assault.

Faizaan said that his Facebook post was his response to a news story on a police complaint by the Hindu Makkal Katchi. 

The party's state secretary 'Kollidam' J Swaminathan had lodged a complaint in Kilvelur Police Station against one Mohamed Yunus, who had sparked controversy on Facebook with his post a few days ago. Mohamed Yunus is a local functionary of Viduthalai Siruthaigal Katchi in Kilvelur.

Faizaan’s post did not go well with the alleged Hindu Makkal Katchi members.

At 7.30 pm on Thursday night, over a dozen of these members found Faizaan near a temple on Poravacheri Road and hacked him, wounding his right wrist, back and left shoulder. They fled the spot after Faizaan collapsed.

Faizaan was found by his friends who rushed him to the Nagapattinam general hospital where he is recovering. While



speaking to Express, Faizaan said, “I know the people who attacked me. They were brutal and their intention seemed to have gone beyond a mere assault. It was only the arrival of a police patrol vehicle that saved me.” 

Asked about his Facebook post, Faizaan said his intention was not to provoke people. He condemned his friend Mohamed Yunis' controversial post.

Faizaan's complaint has led to a case being registered in Kilvelur Police Station. Police have arrested four people for the assault. They have been identified as N Dinesh Kumar (28), R Agathiyan (28), A Ganesh Kumar (27) and M Mohankumar (28) who have been charged under several sections of IPC including attempt to murder and assault with dangerous weapons.

The police are on the lookout for other suspects. Faizaan’s relatives demanded the arrest of the remaining suspects.

Contradicting Faizaan's claim that the suspects are ‘Hindu Makkal Katchi's cadres, the police said the arrested suspects might not have been part of the outfit. 

The Hindu Makkal Katchi too denied its involvement in the assault case. Its state secretary ‘Kollidam’ J Swaminathan said, “The youngsters who assaulted the victim are our supporters. But, they are not our party members. We are trying to learn what went wrong.”