The “false case” referred to in Ramnaresh’s complaint was filed against him based on the statement of residents of Khanpur under IPC sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation).

In a 9 January report, The Times of India quoted Sadar Kotwali inspector Shashank Rajput as saying, “Armed with a licensed gun and 21 cartridges, Ram Naresh had gone to supervise construction work at his plot in Khanpur under Sadar Kotwali police station on Monday. A group of locals dialled Sadar Kotwali police station and informed that Ram Naresh, who was armed with a gun and cartridges, was raising religious slogan in an inebriated state.”

When asked by this correspondent on 11 January, an officer at the police station declined to comment on the kind of religious slogan raised. He said that the objection was not to any religious slogan but “gaali-galauch” (abuses).

“The [first] complaint mentions no religious slogan. It just says that Ramnaresh was drunk and used expletives,” he said.

The officer further said that investigation is underway and the arrests so far have been made on the basis of videos that have emerged of the incident.

Several regional newspapers have reported that the crowd in Khanpur objected to the Armyman saying ‘Jai Shri Ram’.

Ramnaresh supports this statement, and videos suggest the same.

He told this correspondent, “I have a licensed rifle which I keep with myself all the time. The area where my plot is located is Muslim-dominated. I had merely objected to some butchers thrashing cows and taking them for slaughter. For this, they ganged up against me and began to abuse me. They asked me if I would say Jai Shri Ram. I replied yes I will. They thrashed me.”

A 41-second video that went viral shows Ramnaresh sitting on wooden logs while some men have taken his rifle.

One of the men says, “Matlab Jai Shri Ram ke naare lagaoge, lagwaoge? [So you will chant Jai Shri Ram and make others do it too?”

Ramnaresh replies, “Bilkul sahi baat hai. Lagaunga [Yes, this is right. I will chant].”

The men then begin to beat him with sticks.

Watch the video here: