A case of alleged police assault and Islamophobic remarks against mosque muezzin Muhammad Irfan over the issue of giving azaan has sparked widespread outrage in Muzaffarnagar of Uttarpradesh. After CCTV footage of the incident surfaced, Muslim organisations and civil rights activists condemned the act, calling it a direct attack on religious freedom. They have demanded the immediate arrest and strict action against the accused Sub-Inspector Vinod Chaudhary.

According to a report by Maktoob Media, Irfan, the muezzin of Madina Masjid in the Civil Lines police station area, was allegedly beaten by police personnel on duty right after the morning Fajr azaan. He was then taken to the police station illegally and kept in custody for several hours.

Muezzin Irfan has alleged that inside the police station, Sub-Inspector Chaudhary told him “If you love giving azaan so much, go to Pakistan.”

Advocate Javed termed the incident a serious violation of constitutional rights. He said, “This is not merely a case of assault but a clear example of illegal detention and communal misconduct. Beating a citizen for a religious act and telling him to ‘go to Pakistan’ reflects the prejudice within the police force. This warrants a criminal case of the highest degree against the officer.”

Following the incident, a delegation of Muslim organisations led by Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind visited the mosque and met Irfan.

The delegation immediately submitted a detailed written complaint to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), demanding:

Immediate suspension of SI Vinod Chaudhary

Registration of a criminal case under relevant legal provisions

An impartial departmental inquiry into the entire incident

Local community members have warned that failure to take swift and stringent action will further widen the trust deficit between the police and the minority community, which could directly impact law and order.