An interfaith couple was harassed and assaulted in Hyderabad on Monday. The video of the incident went viral on social media, prompting Charminar Police to initiate a probe which led to the arrests of four individuals.
In the viral footage, several Muslim men confront a man accompanied by a woman in a burqa carrying a baby. They repeatedly hit the man, allegedly under the assumption of his Hindu identity, expressing disapproval of his presence in Charminar with a Muslim woman.
The accused demanded proof of his religious affiliation, insisting on seeing his Aadhar card. Despite the pleas of the woman in the burqa, the victim endured further harassment.
The police booked a suo motu case on Tuesday and formed special teams that were swiftly assembled to track down the accused. The following day, four individuals were arrested. Mobile phones containing the viral video evidence were seized from the accused, aiding the investigation.
“Four persons physically abused the couple. The woman had a baby with her. The accused tried to harm the baby as well,” said Charminar ACP P Chandrasekhar. “The accused have been arrested and will be produced in court.”