In a concerning incident, a group of young men beat up a shopkeeper in Bengaluru for playing Hanuman Chalisa during azaan (Islamic call of prayer) on Sunday. The incident has been captured on CCTV, with its footage circulating on social media on Monday.
The row happened in Siddanna Layout in Banashakari area of Bengaluru. The footage showed the group approaching the shopkeeper and confronting him. A seemingly heated argument turned into a violent altercation when one of the young men from the group angrily held the collar of the man, who in turn, retaliated. Following this, the group dragged the man out of the shop and began hurling blows on him.
"I was playing Hanuman bhajan. 4-5 people came and said it is time for Azaan and if you play it we will beat you. They beat me and also threatened me that they would stab me with a knife," says the shopkeeper who was attacked by a group of over five men for playing loud music.
The incident triggered outrage among social media users, with some questioning the law and order in the state.
According to reports, an FIR has been filed following the incident. The police arrested five people in the case.
BJP slams Karnataka government over incident
The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed the Congress government in the state.
The post read, "Karnataka is bearing the brunt of Congress's Blatant Appeasement Politics. Radical Extremist elements have taken over the streets, openly terrorising Hindus. As Rahul Gandhi declares war against “Shakti”, ‘Brothers' of Congress have unleashed terror on Hindus for chanting 'Hanuman Chalisa'. Under Congress's rule, Hindus have been reduced to second-class citizens, with no security or safety for their lives. Theocracy has taken over in Karnataka ever since Congress came into power."
