Ghaziabad assault video: UP Police files chargesheet against 11, invokes Gangsters Act on 2

Ghaziabad: The Uttar Pradesh Police has filed a chargesheet against 11 people for the assault of an elderly man in Loni area of Ghaziabad, while two accused have been charged under Gangsters Act.

The police booked eight other on charges under sections of Indian Penal Code, involving 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (insult to cause breach of peace), 506 (intimidation), 295(A) (deliberate act to intend outrage religious feelings), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly). While, Parvesh Gujjar and Kallu Gujjar have been charged under Gangsters Act.

Though, the chargesheet does not include Umaid Phelwan, who has been booked under National Security Act. A separate chargesheet will be filed against him, sources said.

The case pertains to a video clip that had gone viral on social media of an elderly man, Abdul Shamad Saifi, was thrashed by six people on June 5 and made to chant 'Jai Shri Ram'. The assailants also chopped off his beard, as can be seen in the viral video.

The Ghaziabad Police has denied a communal angle in the matter saying the victim and the accused knew each other. “There is no communal angle in the incident. The victim and the accused have known each other since long. The victim sold a tabeez (amulet) to key accused Parvesh but the latter complained that it had an adverse effect on his family," superintendent of police (SP), Ghaziabad (rural), Iraj Raja told reporters.

An FIR on June 15 against Twitter Inc, Twitter Communications India, a news website, some journalists and a political leader, among others for sharing the clip accusing them of giving the incident a communal angle.

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