Social media users question the action after videos of the incident in Kendrapara District go viral
NEW DELHI — A Muslim street vendor was allegedly accosted and forced to chant “Jai Shri Ram” by a group of men in Odisha’s Kendrapara district, according to videos circulating online.
The videos show the man being surrounded and questioned about his identity. Once he confirmed he was Muslim, the group objected to his presence in the area and made him chant the Hindutva slogan, users who shared the clips claimed.
The incident reportedly occurred while the hawker was earning his livelihood. The location and exact date of the video could not be independently verified.
The clips went viral on X and other platforms, with social media users questioning the harassment and demanding police action.
The videos show the mob repeatedly demanding that the vendor chant Hindu religious slogans. The perpetrators also used slurs like Bangladeshi against the victim.
The men could also be heard abusing the vendor and repeatedly.
Some reports identified one of the men as Rahul Mandal, believed to be associated with the right-wing Bajrang Dal. However, authorities have not publicly confirmed the identities or affiliations of those involved.
The vendor’s condition and whereabouts could not be immediately confirmed and it remained unclear whether a formal police complaint had been filed at the time of reporting.
The incident triggered widespread condemnation from locals and social media users, many of whom called for immediate action against those involved.
Several expressed concern over the alleged targeting of the vendor based on his religious identity and demanded a police investigation into the incident.
Tagging Odisha Police on X, one user shared the clip and wrote, “A terrorist Bajrang Dal activist named Rahul Mandal and his terrorist associates harassed a Muslim street vendor, accused him of being Bangladeshi, and forcibly compelled him to chant “Jai Shri Ram.”
Another user, while questioning why Muslims are frequently asked to prove their citizenship or loyalty, wrote, “No Indian should be forced to prove their patriotism or chant religious slogans to avoid harassment,” adding that “dignity, livelihood and citizenship are constitutional rights, not favours.”
The incident comes amid growing concerns among civil rights groups over instances in which Muslims and migrant workers have been subjected to identity checks, harassment, mob lynching and public intimidation by Hindutva mobs and self-styled cow vigilantes in different parts of India.
Local authorities had not issued an official statement on the incident at the time of reporting.
Further details are awaited, and the report will be updated as authorities verify the details surrounding the incident.
