MP: 10-year-old boy `forced to chant Jai Shri Ram, assaulted'

A 10-year-old Muslim boy was allegedly forced to chant “Jai Shri Ram” and beaten in Pandhana area of Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa district, police said on Thursday.

A First Information Report (FIR) under Indian Penal Code sections 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) was registered against the accused who has been identified, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Anil Singh Chauhan.

The alleged incident took place on Wednesday evening when the boy, a Class 5 student, was on his way to a tuition centre, he told PTI.

His parents lodged a police complaint after which the FIR was registered.

Efforts were on to arrest the accused, the official added.

The accused is a 21-year-old labourer and might have been drunk at the time of the incident, Chauhan said.

"He does not belong to any organisation,” the police officer said in reply to a question.