Police demolish houses of people accused of forcing leash on man and make him bark like a dog

Families of accused claim they received no prior notice of the demolition, raising concerns about procedural fairness

In this file photo taken on 12 June 2022, a bulldozer demolishes the house of a local leader allegedly involved in recent violent protests against Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) former spokesperson Nupur Sharma's incendiary remarks about Prophet Mohammed in Allahabad (AFP via Getty Images)

The administration in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh demolished properties belonging to three individuals accused of abuse and religious coercion.

The direction from the authorities came after a 48-second video clip went viral on social media in which the accused could be heard asking the victim, identified as Vijay Ramchandani, to “become a dog” and apologise to them. They allegedly tied a leash around the 24-year-old man’s neck and forced him to bark like a dog.

The state’s home minister Narottam Mishra condemned the behaviour and ordered the police commissioner to probe the incident.

“I have instructed the Bhopal Police Commissioner to probe and take action within 24 hours … Within 4-5 hours, three of the accused were arrested; [bulldozers] will be used on illegal encroachments,” Mr Mishra said. “This kind of mentality will be completely stamped out,” he added.

The police rounded up three of the six accused, while also invoking charges of forced conversion and kidnapping against the perpetrators. The preliminary chargesheet named Sajid, Bilal Tila, Faizan Lala, Sahil Bachha, Mohammad Sameer Tila, and Mufeed Khan, with the latter three already in police custody.

Mr Ramchandani said he circulated the video after the accused attempted to extort him by threatening to share the clip of his assault. He said that he shared the video to highlight his ordeal as he expressed his frustration with the police’s perceived lack of action, citing previous conflicts with the accused.

In his complaint, Mr Ramchandani further alleged that the accused abducted and assaulted him, coerced him to consume beef, and threatened his family members, reported NDTV.

Mr Mishra told the Press Trust of India: “We will take such an action in Bhopal that it will send a message across the state.”

However, The Indian Express also reported that the families of the accused claimed to have received no prior notice of the property demolition, raising concerns about procedural fairness.

The model of “justice by bulldozer” has spread to other Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states, including the most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, Assam, as well as the MCD in Delhi, being hailed by supporters as a sign of the authorities taking tough action on crime.

Bulldozers first came to public attention when the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath – who has earned the nickname “Bulldozer Baba” – deployed the machines to enforce law and order, using them to destroy property belonging to those accused of crime.

They have since become a symbol of Mr Adityanath’s political might, and have even taken pride of place in his election speeches.

However, protests have also erupted in many Indian cities to condemn the demolition of homes and businesses belonging to Muslims, in what critics called a growing pattern aimed at punishing activists from the minority group.