FIR after group harasses couple, posts video on social media

KANPUR: The Kanpur police on Wednesday lodged an FIR against unidentified people for allegedly harassing a Muslim boy and his Hindu girlfriend.

A group of men, claiming to be members of a right wing vigilante group, forced the girl to tie ‘rakhi’ to the boy after humiliating the couple on camera here in Kanpur’s Major Avinash Bhadauria Park in Govind Nagar area on Tuesday.

Members of the group posted video and pictures of what they described an exercise to track the ‘love jihadis’ and teach them a lesson to save Hindu girls.

RK Chaturvedi, circle officer of Govind Nagar, said the police had registered a case suo-moto. “We are identifying the people and action will be taken,” he said.

Govind Nagar police detained one of the group members, Mayank Verma, after identifying him through a facebook post. However, However, instead of arresting him SHO Sanjeev Mishra gave Verma a chair next to him and even offered him tea, said journalist present at the police station.

When quizzed, Chaturvedi failed to explain the SHO’s ‘gesture’.

When asked why a case was registered against unidentified people when group members had posted pictures and videos on their pages, the CO said, “All aspects will be covered in the investigation. We are trying to establish the identities of the victims.” The couple was in the park at around 2pm when the group arrived and asked them to reveal their identities. In the video, the group could be seen telling the boy to confess that he was a ‘love jihadi’ who was luring a Hindu girl. The girl is forced give her mobile number and address.

Before leaving, the group made the girl take a vow that the boy was now her brother. She was also made to tie a ‘rakhi’ on his wrist.

MEMBERS OF THE GROUP POSTED VIDEO AND PICTURES OF WHAT THEY DESCRIBED AN EXERCISE TO TRACK THE ‘LOVE JIHADIS’ AND TEACH THEM A LESSON TO SAVE HINDU GIRLS.