Lucknow: A news from Kanpur has been going viral on all the media and social media platforms for some time now. In this news report, a man named Shakeel is accused of being beaten up by the neighbours for putting up the BJP flag. Shakeel has accused his neighbours of taking out his eyes and threatening to cut off his neck. Some media outlets are looking at this whole issue by linking it to the Babar Ali case of Kushinagar. The report, published by Aaj Tak on April 1, 2022 (Friday), said, "The educated Muslim youth was not only blindly threatened by the neighbours to cut off his neck if he was put up with the BJP flag, but was also beaten up in public several times." Shakeel works in a multinational company. He has lodged an FIR, but no one has been arrested yet.
According to media reports, "The case is of Juhi Colony in Kidwai Nagar. The incident took place on March 29 (Tuesday). Shahnawaz, Rashid, Rizwan and Bhalu are named in the case. The victim, Shakeel, has also alleged that he has received constant threats from the accused. According to another report, "The BJP flag on Shakeel's house has been scratched and thrown away. Shakeel Ahmed is claimed to be a BJP supporter. A few days ago, a BJP MLA had also garlanded him. Some people didn't like that. That is what has led to Shakeel's beating. A report also said, "Shakeel has received a threat that if he does not go with Muslims, his eyes will be removed and beheaded." There is panic in his house. Shakeel has described himself as a Supporter of the BJP since 2013.
"This time in the assembly elections, Shakeel put up the BJP flag at his house, while the rest of the locality had a Congress flag. When the BJP flag was put up, neighbour Shahnawaz along with his family members thrashed him severely. He has since lodged an FIR in the case at The Kidwai Nagar police station. BJP's Nirala Nagar ward 84 president Arvind Kushwaha has issued a letter on Shakeel's allegations. The letter has been written while addressing SHO Kidwai Nagar. "Abdul Shakeel, who lives in my ward 84, had no connection with the BJP before nor is he now.''
In a video shared by the Kanpur police, Shakeel's neighbour Rajendra Singh has said that there was a jewellery shop. He was evacuated. Since then, there has been a little controversy in the locality. On the day of the incident, the two sides were arguing among themselves. Since I belonged to the locality, I reached there myself and separated the two sides. When I separated the two, there was no flag in Shakeel's house. I warned both sides not to argue again and to call the police and send them to jail. After that, nothing happened. I don't know when Shakeel got the FIR done. I also have my name in it, so I am coming forward and telling you that there was no incident like assault in front of me. The BJP flag has been put up yesterday. The case was of the house, in which there was only a pull. There are no injuries and no one has been harmed.
Kanpur Police has asked people not to spread misleading information in the flag dispute. According to the police, "The statements of an eyewitness neighbour and ward president, who came to light in the dispute over putting a flag in a house in Thana Kidwai Nagar, have revealed the motive for the incident. Police are investigating for appropriate action. Please don't spread misleading information.''
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