2 Delhi Men On Way To Join Religious Procession Beaten For Shouting Slogans

Two men on their way to participate in a religious procession were thrashed allegedly by some unidentified people of a different community in northeast Delhi's Nand Nagri area, the police said on Sunday.

The two, identified as Ankit (19) and his friend Sidhu, riding different motorcycles were thrashed for shouting slogans when they were passing through a religious place on Saturday evening, they said.

Police said that the victims were admitted to the Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital with injuries.

A PCR call was received at 6.40 pm on Saturday, said an official, adding the caller stated that some people were thrashing his brother.

"A team was sent to the spot. By the time it reached there, the attackers had fled the spot. After a preliminary inquiry, we found that Ankit along with his friends had come from Dilshad Garden to Nand Nagri to participate in the Valmiki Jayanti procession," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast) Joy Tirkey.

"Ankit and his 10-11 friends riding five-six two-wheelers came to Nand Nagri, and were about half a kilometre away from the procession which was passing through its pre-decided route. However, they took a route through E-Block near a mosque to reach the procession. This route is never used for Valmiki Jayanti processions as it is dominated by another community," he added.

The DCP said that Ankit and Sidhu were shouting some slogans, adding they were intercepted by some people of the different community near E-Block mosque while Ankit's friends managed to pass through.

Police said that an altercation took place after which the two men were thrashed and their motorcycles were damaged.

However, police said the Valmiki Jayanti procession concluded peacefully later.

"The incident was not connected with the Valmiki procession, which concluded peacefully sometime later," Tirkey said.

The procession was adequately provided security, and two inspector-rank officers and other police personnel were accompanying the procession, the DCP said.

"No motorcycles were allowed in the procession. All the participants were either on foot or on 'jhankis'," he added.

The DCP said efforts are being made to identify the culprits and some suspects have been rounded up.

Further investigation in the case is going on, he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)