Gurgaon Family Attacked By Mob With Rods, Sticks; Asked To "Go To Pak"

A family in Gurgaon was beaten up by a mob with hockey sticks and iron rods at their home on Thursday, in an attack triggered by a game of cricket on Holi. One person were arrested. The family alleged that the mob verbally abused them and asked them to "go to Pakistan".

A video of the incident shows a group of men attacking the family's male members with sticks, as women, scream and plead them to stop. Women and children too were allegedly attacked. Among the 14 to 15 members of the joint family who were injured were five children, the youngest a two-year-old. 

"The incident occurred on Thursday evening at 5.00 pm when some of the victim family members, belonging to a minority community, were playing cricket outside their residence in Bhup Singh Nagar," Assistant Commissioner of Police, Gurgaon, Shamsher Singh said.

A mob of 25 to 30 people was allegedly involved in the attack on the family of three or four people in Bhondsi area, police said.

Sajid, one of the family members was thrashed with sticks and iron rods until he lost consciousness, the police officer said.

Sajid said six to seven drunk people asked them not to play cricket on the street.

When the family continued to play cricket, the men were joined by more people who attacked the family with batons, iron rods, hockey sticks, and water pipes, the police said.

"The children were playing cricket on Holi and about two men came on bikes and asked what are we doing. We said we are playing cricket. One of the men  said, 'Go to Pakistan and play'. They slapped me," one of the injured men said.

The family rushed into their home but some members of the mob managed to barge in and beat them. The ones who stood outside threw stones at the house.

"We have registered a case of attempt to murder and other relevant sections against the attackers at Bhondsi Police station," police officer Shamsher Singh said. The man arrested is Mahesh.

"We were making food for some guests when suddenly, they entered our home. They beat me up with sticks when I tried to stop them. I asked them what has happened. They went upstairs, broke windows & doors &thrashed them brutally," a woman member of the family told news agency ANI.

The family alleged the police took about 40 minutes to come to their rescue, though they kept calling on the helpline number. By then, the attackers had escaped, they said.

The Congress attacked the Narendra Modi government over the attack. "We strongly condemn this atrocious act of violence against innocent Indian," the party tweeted. The Congress urged Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to ensure that his government takes strict action against the perpetrators. "Is this the 'new India' Modi wishes to create - filled with hate & violence?" the party tweeted.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal too condemned the attack. "Hitler too used do this for power. Hitler's goons used to beat people up, used to murder people. And the police would register case against people who were beaten up," he tweeted. 

(With inputs from PTI)