VIDEO: Indian man assaults three Muslim children, forces them to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’

In yet another incident highlighting the spread of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiments in India, a Hindu man has brutally beaten up three Muslim children till they ended up chanting “Jai Shri Ram” – a popular Hindu slogan mostly attributed to extremist Hindutva group.

As per the details, a viral video showed the man beating up the children with a slipper, questioning them about a lighter in their possession. The man can also be seen slapping them continuously.

With one of the boys crying out “Allah” in pain, the man starts beating them even more viciously. The traumatised children on the other end then try to appease the man by saying “Bhagwan”, but he keeps assaulting them.

Eventually, the kids start chanting “Jai Shri Ram”, which seems to please the assaulter. “Won’t say Allah again,” one child can be heard as saying, wailing, as the abuser continues laughing and filming the act.

According to Indian media reports, the undated video was first posted to social media on December 5 from Madhya Pradesh.

The three children, aged 7, 10, and 12, are reportedly residents of Ashok Nagar Sabzi Pharosh area in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh. The assault took place when the children went to Amrit Sagar Pond. 

“The younger child is in trauma. He has become mentally disturbed. The children are not talking to anyone. The youngest child is an orphan as his parents died in an accident,” reports quoted Siraj, a local journalist, as saying. 

With the video going viral, protests broke out for the immediate arrest of the accused.

A police official, while talking to the media, said that a case had been registered against the man whose identity was yet to be established.

Commenting on the incident, journalist Rana Ayyub lamented the state of tolerance and democracy in the country. “Muslim couple forced to sell house after Hindu residents complaint, a man thrashes Muslim kids with slippers, forcing them to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’, Muslim houses demolished, places of worship under attack. And Prime Minister Modi continues to project India as a democracy,” she said in a post on X.

Professor Ashok Swain also shared the post and wrote, “Under Modi, India has become a burning hell for Muslims.”