Hyderabad Police deny communal angle in Blinkit delivery boy assault

Hyderabad: Police have denied a communal angle to the assault on Blinkit delivery boy Habeeb Ansari in Hyderabad, saying the incident stemmed from a petty dispute.

Two people – Karthik and Rakesh – have been arrested, and a third person, Sheikh Mir Alam, who is the warehouse manager, is currently on the run.

“We have registered a first information report (FIR) against these three people and other unknown persons under the wrong restraint and assault sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Sheikh Mir Alam is in Vijayawada. We have sent him a notice to be present at the station. Investigations are underway,” the Raidurgam Police Station House Officer (SHO) told Siasat.com.

Habeeb Ansari, a migrant worker from Bihar, was allegedly assaulted by a group, including his warehouse manager, on the night of November 3.

The previous day, Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) spokesperson Amjed Ullah Khan posted a video alleging Ansari was targeted for his faith. The Blinkit delivery boy, who was standing next to the politician, said he was cornered and attacked by around 10 people.

He further claimed that his attackers were present at the police station and threatened him against filing a complaint. “They told me not to file the complaint, or else they will kill me. Police officers were standing,” he alleged.

While confirming the assault did take place, the SHO denied the communal angle. “Some people were drunk and creating a public nuisance. Ansari, who was returning after delivering an order, stopped his bike to check in. They started assaulting him, but not because he is a Muslim,” the officer said, adding, “One of the attackers, his warehouse manager, is also a Muslim.”

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