Odisha, November 10, 2021 (PPI-OT):On 1 November in Benapanjari village in Odisha’s Khordha district, a welding shop owner, Abdul Raheem, and his staff member met with an accident, which soon escalated as it took an anti-Muslim colour. Photo: Special arrangement.

On 1 November in Benapanjari village in Odisha’s Khordha district, a welding shop owner, Abdul Raheem, and his staff member met with an accident, which soon escalated as it took an anti-Muslim colour.

While leaving for lunch, Raheem’s bike was hit by another bike on the road. Raheem was blamed for the accident and asked to call his uncle as the locals knew him well. Hearing about the incident, Raheem’s uncle reached there along with his father and the other staff members. Since then, the situation has gotten out of hand.

The crowd called more locals, and an array of personal and anti-Muslim attacks began. “Musalman tum chor ho. Tum ko kaatkar, tumhara biryani banakar baatenge” (Muslims, you are thieves. We’ll cut you up and make biryani and distribute).”- One of the many comments made by them, Raheem told The Wire over the phone.

When one of Raheem’s staff members tried to retaliate, they slapped him and called more people from the neighbourhood. The Hindu mob attacked them, leading to the hospitalization of a staff member, Zameer. Abdul Raheem and his cousin Abdul Raseeb were also injured.

After the incident, Raheem and his relatives filed an FIR. Nobody was arrested till the time the statement was recorded by The Wire. Raheem further told Maktoob that the attackers’ side called a meeting. The Muslim man’s family feels unsafe and speculates the chances of further attacks persist there.

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