Seven men from the minority community have been arrested in Belagavi for reportedly assaulting two cousins mistaking them as an interfaith couple. Two minors have also been detained for the alleged offence.
A police officer said, “The victim girl is a graduate and she visited her college to collect some documents. She was told to wait till 3.30 pm. Meanwhile, her cousin joined her and both were waiting at the Lake Park. As the girl was covering her face with a hijab and the boy was sporting a tilak, the accused thought that they were lovers and attacked them.”
Speaking to the media, the girl said, “I repeatedly told them that Rahul (name changed) is my cousin but none listened to me. They snatched our mobile phones. They took him to another room and assaulted him. They also hit me asking why I was roaming around with a Hindu boy being a Muslim girl.”
Till now, seven people have been arrested on charges of kidnapping and assaulting the duo. They have been identified as Mohammad Ayman, 27, Hussain, 22, Ateef, 22, Saif Ali, 27, Umar, 18, Rehan, 19, and Azan, 18.
“We have booked the accused under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 149 (unlawful assembly), 394 (robbery), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), and 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code,” the officer said, adding that they were trying to nab others involved in the assault.
