The video is from Khairabad in Sitapur district, about 100 km from the capital Lucknow
Lucknow:
Uttar Pradesh police have begun investigating a video showing a Hindu priest allegedly threatening to kidnap and rape Muslim women while addressing a rally outside a mosque in Sitapur district, about 100 km from the state capital Lucknow.
The video shows a man dressed in saffron robes, allegedly the local mahant in a small town called Khairabad, addressing a meeting from a jeep. A man in a police uniform can also be seen in the background.
Speaking through a microphone, the man appears to be making common and provocative remarks as the crowd cheers him on with shouts of “Jai Shri Ram”.
The man claims to have a plot to kill him and adds that an amount of Rs 28 lakh has been collected for this.
He then reportedly says that if a Muslim harassed a girl in the area, he would kidnap and publicly rape Muslim women. The threat is received with loud cheers by the crowd.
Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of fact-checking website AltNews, shared the video, saying the video was recorded on April 2, but police have not taken any action after five days.
In response to his tweet, Sitapur Police said a senior officer is investigating the matter and action will be taken based on facts.
अधीक्षक उत्तरी द्वारा जांच प्रचलित है। एवं साक्ष्यों के आधार पर नियमानुसार विधिक कार्यवाही सुनिश्चित की जाएगी।
— Sitapur Police (@sitapurpolice) Apr 7, 2022
Following Mr Zubair’s message on the video, several Twitter users have called for action against the religious leader, identified by some as “Bajrang Muni”. The users have signaled the joint comments to the UN human rights body and the National Women’s Commission, asking for strict intervention in the matter.
