Hojai (Assam): In a shocking incident, some Islamic clerics were seen beating up and punishing two girls in full public view at Dabaka market area under Hojai district in Central Assam on Wednesday.
The video of the cleric beating the two girls and verbally abusing them went viral on social media drawing flak from different sections of people.
The cleric identified himself as a "Don" and verbally abused the two teenage girls. Later some others also joined in abusing them and the cleric started beating them with a baton. Both the girls were seen pleading innocence and appealed to the cleric to not beat them, which, however, failed to deter the cleric and others from beating them.
Locals later said that the clerics and his accomplices suspected one of the teenaged girls to be a human trafficker and questioned her about her motive in visiting the area. Although the girl repeatedly said that she has no connection with anyone or she has no such motive to traffick girls, the cleric and his accomplices abused the two girls verbally and physically.
The All Assam Indigenous Students' Union has condemned the whole incident and said that no one has the right to take law into his own hands. "If there was suspicion regarding the identity and motive of the girl, they should have informed this to the police or the district administration. How can an individual beat someone on the street like this?" said a leader of the students' body.
He also demanded the police arrest the clerics immediately
Read: Bajrang Dal's vandalism over interfaith marriage in Assam's Hojai
