Two of the four labourers were from the minority community, police said. (Representational image)
Four labourers were beaten up by unidentified youths in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly for allegedly eating meat near a place of worship.
In a video that has been widely shared on social media, the youths can be seen beating the four with belts. The labourers had arrived at Baheri after being hired by a mason.
Two of the four labourers were from the minority community, police said, and that could have been a provocation for the attack.
The victims told reporters that they were having a vegetarian meal when the youths arrived and started beating them up.
"Four unidentified labourers had been hired for construction work at a residence. During lunch break, they had gone to a nearby devasthan (a miniature shrine with idols of gods usually near shady trees) to take meal sitting under the tree," Baheri station house officer Dhananjay Singh said.
According to the police, the unidentified youths suddenly arrived there and started beating them, alleging that they were having meat near a holy place.
Bareilly Senior Superintendent of Police Muniraj G. said that police have registered an FIR against Adesh Valmiki and Manish and four unknown men. Two teams have been set up to arrest the accused who are absconding.