For the last few days, social media has been abuzz about a 28-year-old man named Akhlaq whose hand was reportedly chopped off because he had the numbers ‘786’ tattooed on his hand. Haryana Police have however denied the claim and said he was accused of sodomoy according to a report in Indian Express.
A story was published on the portal twocircles.net, which claimed that the barber left his home in Nanauta, near Panipat, Haryana.
The man, called Akhlaq claimed that his hand was chopped off by two men who started beating him upon hearing his name and left him on the road.
The Two Circles report quoting, Aklaq’s brother, that after he knocked on a nearby door for water, the same men who were beating him dragged him inside and his sawed off his right with a chainsaw.
Ikram, Akhlaq’s brother also claimed that he was later thrown on the railway track to portray as if he was injured in a train accident. They claimed the assailants were from the Saini community.
The story was widely shared on social media.
However, the Panipal Police have denied the allegations claiming that the 28-year-old sodomised a child and might have injured himself while escaping. Panipat ACP Satish Kumar called communal angle ‘absolutely absurd’.
The 28-year-old was found by GRP by the Railway tracks the morning after August 23.
An FIR was also lodged against Akhlaq for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a seven-year-old. The family claim to have rescued the child but the latter escaped.
The family said that two of the child's teeth were broken and he had assault marks on his body. Both FIRS were lodged on September 7.
ACP Vats told The Indian Express, “We are investigating. But prima facie, it appears the man was allegedly involved in sexual assault on a minor boy. He escaped in an inebriated state and might have suffered an injury on the railway tracks. He was admitted to Civil Hospital by GRP personnel. When the matter was brought to my notice, I sent the investigating officer to record his statement, but he had already fled.”
The police are denying the family’s charges and claimed they are spreading it on social media to get traction.
