Man in Assam 'force-fed pork' for selling beef

Victim Shaukat Ali seen in the video grab. Pic/Twitter

Tezpur (Assam): A man was allegedly beaten up and forced to eat pork by a group of people who were angry because the man was allegedly selling beef police said on Tuesday."

A group of locals at Madhupur weekly market in Biswanath district assaulted the victim, Shaukat Ali, 48, on Sunday, after which he required hospitalisation, Superintendent of Police Rakesh Raushan said.

A video of the incident that has gone viral showed a dazed Ali surrounded by some people who angrily demanded to know from him where he came from and whether his name figured in the contentious National Register of Citizens that intends to weed out illegal migrants.

Ali, according to Raushan, was beaten up by locals not aligned to any fundamentalist organisation. Ali, who owns a food stall, claimed he was force-fed pork by the assailants but police did not confirm it.

"We have also heard about that. It is a matter of investigation. It is only after that has been done that I will be able to tell," the SP said. A man was arrested in connection with the incident and questioned.

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