In a shocking incident, A 51-year-old Mira Road resident was arrested on Wednesday from his Srushti Complex home after he allegedly refused to accept groceries from a Muslim delivery boy.

He was produced before the Thane sessions court and remanded in judicial custody.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, when the 32-year-old delivery boy, a resident of Naya Nagar, was delivering groceries ordered online. “I have been risking my life and delivering essential goods to homes,” the delivery boy said. “And to think that in these tough times too, people want to focus on religion is shocking and saddening.” He said he was wearing a mask and gloves at the time.

As per the media reports, around 9.40 am on Tuesday, the delivery boy was standing with the delivery at the gate of Srushti Complex and called the customer, the arrested man’s wife as there were entry restrictions due to the lockdown imposed to fight COVID-19 in Mira-Bhayander.

As the woman went through the list of items, her husband asked the delivery boy his name. On learning that the delivery boy was from a different community, the man told his wife to return the order.

The delivery boy was appalled and recorded the rest of the conversation on his mobile phone. The man allegedly told the delivery boy that he did not want to order from a person of the minority community.

He said that his family, including children, were worried for him because of the coronavirus, but he still was among the few who had agreed to do his job. He said that he has been delivering parcels to many homes during the lockdown and had never faced such discrimination, adding that he would continue doing his job.

The police registered a case under IPC section 295 (a) (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs).

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