64-year-old mistaken as Pakistani, beaten and tortured in India

NEW DELHI: 64-year old Muhammad Ramzan from a village in Haryana was beaten and tortured on the suspicion of being a Pakistan, according to BBC Urdu.

Speaking to BBC Urdu, Ramzan recollected the tale of how he was ambushed by police officials four days earlier, from his village in Haryana. “How can they accuse me of being a Pakistani? How can they beat me?” he cried.

Ramzan stated that he was heading home after a day’s work and was accompanied by a helper when officials forcefully took him to the police station.

“Police officials who were in the vehicle ordered me to stop the car and then they took us [him and his helper] to the police station”, he told BBC Urdu.

According to Ramzan, the officials ordered them to take their clothes off. “When I protested, they called me a Pakistani and a fundamentalist. They called me a Muslim and said I was a bad man.

“They tore my clothes and beat me up.” As a result of the incident, the 64-year-old now has trouble sitting.

“They repeatedly kicked me, as if I were a football”, Ramzan said adding that the pain in his hip is unbearable.

Ramzan claimed he has been living in the area since birth. “My closest associates are serving in the army and these police officials are calling me Pakistani and a fundamentalist,” he said demanding the officials to be removed.

Ramzan’s 27-year-old son, Muhammad Aslam said, “We are completely shocked at how our father was treated by the police.

“We are Indians, not Pakistanis, as they call us. These officials are not worthy of serving in the police. We want these officials to be deposed from office.”