The National Security Act (NSA) has been invoked against a group of men who allegedly kept a man on a dog leash and abused him in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal, state Home Minister Narottam Mishra said on Monday.
Talking to reporters, Mishra said he received information about a video of the incident this morning and he had directed the police to act within 24 hours.
In six hours, the police identified the accused and nabbed them, he said, adding that a police station in-charge has been removed from the field duty in connection with the incident.
The stringent NSA has been invoked against the accused, and the illegally constructed structures belonging to them have been identified and they will be razed, the minister said.
He further said that provisions of the Freedom of Religion Act were also invoked against the accused after a religious conversion angle came to light in the case.
In a video of the alleged incident, the victim is seen with a leash around his neck and the accused are telling him to bark like a dog while abusing him.
Madhya Pradesh govt has decided to bulldoze the home of Faizan, Bilal, Mufid and Sahil, who were involved in this inhumane act with hindu guy
— Right Singh (@rightwingchora) June 19, 2023
Faizan, Bilal, Mufid and Sahil made hindu guy to bhave like dog and threatend him to r@pe his sisterpic.twitter.com/e5mV2dsKv7
At the end of the 49-second video, the victim is also heard saying “main Miyan Bhai banne ko taiyar hoon” (I am ready to become Miyan Bhai, a term used for Muslims in Bhopal).
The accused are also heard asking why the victim had used abusive language against them and demand that he apologise.