Lucknow cops called me Kashmiri, threatened to tear my beard: Muslim Journalist

Uttar Pradesh: Amid violence in BJP-led Uttar Pradesh, a report of Muslim Journalist working for The Hindu emerged online. The journalist identified as Omar Rashid claimed that the police detained him and used foul language against him despite him being at the protest site to cover the clashes and not participate in them.

He says his repeated mentions of his profession didn't stop the Lucknow Police from detaining him without an explanation, accusing him of taking part of a violent protest against the amended Citizenship Act, threatening to beat him and tear his beard out, and asking him to "keep my journalism to myself, in abusive Hindi". After the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's Office found out about his detention, the police released him and apologised to him, he said.

Omar Rashid's account of the hours he spent in detention is has been shared online by various others. Senior journalists and politicians have condemned the police action. Rashid said the Lucknow Police repeatedly brought up his Kashmiri background, accused him of hiding Kashmiris and asked him to reveal their whereabouts.

An activist who had been picked up with him was repeatedly beaten, he said.

One officer "said he would tear out all my beard and thrash me if I didn't answer his questions as per his liking. Since I didn't have my phone, I could not note down the long list of expletives used against me," Omar Rashid wrote.

Responding to the journalists's account, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted: "If this is how policing works in BJP-run UP, we may as well subtract that state from India's democracy!" tweeted Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.

The law that is touted as anti-Muslim has been facing criticism both at home and from other countries. The government has denied all charges that the law is anti-Muslim and even cancelled meetings with US personnel.