Bihar: Man stabbed six times for watching video of Nupur Sharma; police deny communal angle

A 23-year-old man, Ankit Jha, was stabbed six times in Bihar’s Sitamarhi district for allegedly watching a video of suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma, though police asserted that the incident had “no communal angle”. The incident took place in the Nanpur police station area on 15 July. Jha, who has sustained grievous injuries, told reporters that he was going through his WhatsApp when some bystanders picked up a quarrel with him before attacking him. The report comes in the wake of a Pakistani national crossing over to India via the international border to allegedly kill Sharma. He was arrested and is being held in Sri Ganga Nagar district of Rajasthan. A section of the press has quoted Jha’s family members as having alleged that an FIR was registered “only after” they deleted the reference to Sharma, in news for derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad in a TV debate, whose video the victim was watching on his phone. A day later, Jha filed a written complaint against four persons — Gora, Nehal, Behal and Helal— following which two were arrested and sent to judicial custody, reports Hindustan Times According to the SHO in-charge of Nanpur police station, Vijay Kumar Ram, the incident happened when the youth and the accused men gathered at a road side stall for smoking. “The reason behind the scuffle between the two groups was over releasing cigarette smoke on Jha’s face at the road side stall, leading to an immediate argument,” said the SHO, denying the communal angle, it reported. With input from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.