ICC Note:
According to reports, a man in Uttar Pradesh was attacked and publicly disgraced by a mob of Hindu nationalists after being accused of converting three Hindus to Christianity. The mob also accused the man of forcing the three Hindus of consuming beef and walking over pictures of Hindu gods. Tensions surrounding conversions to minority religions in India remain high. Many Hindu nationalists believe converting to a minority religion such as Christianity or Islam is an act against India that must be protected against. So far, police reports have been flied against both the mob and the man accused of converting the Hindus but no arrests have been made.
2/2/2016 India (Times of India) – A man was on Friday tonsured, garlanded with shoes, and paraded on the streets of Orai in Uttar Pradesh, allegedly by Bajrang Dal activists who accused him of converting three Hindu men to Christianity and forcibly making them consume beef.
Deputy inspector general (DIG), Jhansi range, Sharad Sachan said three FIRs had been lodged in connection with the incident, including two against Bajrang Dal members, who have not been named, and one against the alleged victim, Awdhesh Savita. No arrest had been made at the time of going to press.
“On Friday afternoon, a mob of nearly 200 men, allegedly comprising Bajrang Dal activists, reached the house of Awdhesh at Randar in Jalaun district, brought him out forcibly, and took him to Orai (district headquarters),” a police source said.
“He was paraded through the town after his hair, eyebrows and moustache were shaved off, and garlanded with shoes,” the source added.
When police reached the spot and tried to take Awdhesh to the police post, the crowd refused to let him go. Subsequently, senior officers arrived with reinforcements, including police and PAC personnel. He was then taken to Orai Kotwali police station, the source said.
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