Urdu teacher harassed, forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ in Gzb

Ghaziabad: An Urdu teacher was allegedly heckled, abused, and pressured to chant “Jai Shri Ram” by a group of residents at a housing society in Ghaziabad’s Crossings Republik township, police said on Thursday. The teacher, Mohammad Alamgir, was confronted and blocked from entering an elevator by the group while he was visiting the society for private tuition.

The incident took place on Tuesday at a society in the Crossings Republik township. The teacher, Mohammad Alamgir, who regularly visits the society to teach a student living on the 16th floor, was confronted by several residents, including the main accused, 36-year-old Manoj Kumar.

The primary accused, 36-year-old Manoj Kumar, a resident of the society, has been arrested, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Wave City), Lipi Nagaich, confirmed. According to the police, Kumar and other residents intercepted Alamgir, raising slogans of “Jai Shri Ram” and demanding that he chant the same. When Alamgir refused, the situation escalated.

“Kumar blocked Alamgir from using the elevator and became aggressive when he refused to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’,” ACP Nagaich said. “The situation escalated when more residents joined in, pressuring Alamgir to chant the slogan,” said the officer. While a security guard and some other residents attempted to intervene and calm the situation, the group allegedly continued their intimidation, eventually forcing Alamgir to leave the society.

Alamgir later filed a police complaint, detailing the harassment, although he did not explicitly mention in his written statement that he was asked to chant “Jai Shri Ram.” However, this was conveyed to the police verbally, ACP

Nagaich said.

Kumar has been charged under sections 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). “We are investigating all angles and identifying others involved,” Nagaich said, noting that Kumar had claimed his aggression was triggered by doubts he had about Alamgir and the teacher’s responses to his questions.

“We have initiated an investigation and are exploring all angles to identify others involved,” Nagaich said.