NHRC takes cognisance after religious storyteller assaulted in UP’s Etawah

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), on Tuesday, has taken cognisance of a shocking case reported from Uttar Pradesh’s Etawah district, where a complaint has been lodged alleging that a religious storyteller was beaten up and humiliated for belonging to a backward caste.

The Commission has issued a notice to the officials of the Uttar Pradesh government in connection with the matter and directed them to take legal action against the accused persons involved.

National Human Rights Commission Chairperson Priyank Kanoongo in a post on social media platform X said: “A complaint has been received regarding a horrific act in Uttar Pradesh’s Etawah where a religious storyteller belonging to a backward caste was beaten, his head tonsured, forced to rub his nose on a woman’s feet, and then spat with urine due to his caste. Based on the complaint, a notice has been issued to the state government officials with instructions to take legal action and submit a report to the commission.”

The incident took place in Dadarpur village under the Bakewar police station area, where a Bhagwat Katha was organised on June 21.

In the programme, religious storyteller Mukut Mani and his aide Acharya Sant Singh were narrating a religious story.

During the event, some local villagers raised objections regarding the caste of the religious storytellers.

It was alleged that the religious storytellers organised a ‘Katha’ by disguising themselves to be Brahmins, while they belonged to another caste.

This controversy escalated after which some people started beating the religious storytellers.

Apart from physical assault, the hair of the religious storytellers was also cut against their will.

Several people also made a video of this inhuman act, which later went viral on the social media.

A tense situation arose in the area after the video went viral.

Local people and religious organisations strongly condemned the incident and demanded strict action against the accused persons.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Brijesh Kumar Srivastava took the matter seriously and directed the social media monitoring cell to take immediate action.

The social media cell took cognisance of the viral video and started investigating the matter.

Upon the complaint of the victims, a case was registered under the relevant sections of law.

The police took immediate action and arrested four accused persons — Ashish (21), Uttam (19), Pratham alias Manu (24) and Nikki (30).

The main allegation against Nikki is that she forcibly cut the hair of the storytellers.

SSP Srivastava said on Monday that the incident took place during a Bhagwat Katha organised in a village in Bakewar police station area, where a religious storytellers were allegedly beaten up, treated abusively and their braid was cut as well.

“We have started taking action since Tuesday morning on the basis of a viral video and complaint on social media,” he added.

The SSP noted that an investigation team has been constituted led by Additional Superintendent of Police, which is investigating the matter thoroughly.

The victim has been identified and all allegations will be investigated without any bias, he said.

He added that strict action will be ensured against the accused.

“The police is working on this case with utmost seriousness. Such incidents harm social harmony in the country.”

Strict action will be taken against the culprits so that such incidents do not recur in future, the SSP said.