Islamic teacher assaulted, beard pulled and skull cap knocked to ground in BJP-ruled UP
Lucknow: An Islamic teacher was assaulted by several Hindutva goons who pulled his beard and knocked his skull cap to the ground during an altercation at a fuel station in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, turning a dispute over the quantity of petrol into an incident that has drawn concern over the targeting of his visible Muslim identity.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the attack took place in Balrampur district after Maulana Iqbal, a teacher at an Islamic religious school, complained that he had received less petrol than the amount for which he had paid for while refueling his motorcycle.
An argument with a fuel station worker followed before the confrontation became violent. A video that later circulated widely on social media shows Iqbal surrounded by several men and being repeatedly assaulted.
During the assault, the men can be seen pulling Iqbal’s beard and knocking his skull cap to the ground. The actions have drawn particular concern as both the beard and skull cap are visible markers of his Muslim religious identity.
The incident has sparked criticism online, with questions being raised over how a dispute about the quantity of petrol escalated into a physical assault involving several men.
The targeting of Iqbal’s religious appearance has also drawn scrutiny amid continuing concerns over discrimination, hate speech and violence against Muslims in India.
