New Delhi: A 22-year old man, Rahul Khan, was allegedly beaten mercilessly by three of his friends in Palwal on December 14. Now, his family claims that this attack was of communal nature after a purported video that when viral on social media showed the men assaulting him. 


According to the Indian Express report, the police have arrested the three men — Aakash alias Diljale, Vishal, and Kalua allegedly involved in murdering the victim. 


In the video, the three arrested can be seen hitting the victim with what appears to be on his face while they said that they were Hindus and he is a Muslim. The victim collapses on the ground and is seen with a bloody face, prompting one to say that he has died. 


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Khan was rushed to the hospital where he died eight hours later. 


“So far, the victim’s family have not mentioned anything of such (communal) nature in the complaint and it has not come up in the probe. We have received a CD of the video clip where the accused are seen beating up the victim and can be heard saying ‘he will die'. We will send it for forensic analysis,” DSP (City) Palwal Yashpal Khatana told Indian Express on allegations of the incident being a hate crime.


The DSP also said that the victim and accused had gone to a wedding in Hoshangabad while returning to Rasulpur village they had an altercation.


The victim hid Kalua's phone while drinking and when Kalua's phone and when he found with the victim it a fight broke out and in a fit of rage the accused beat the victim.


The accused then took the victim to a canal then hit him with sticks and rods where the purported video was shot by one of the accused Aakash. But in a bid to save themselves they called the victim's family and said he met with an accident, the report said. 


The family initially lodged an accident FIR at Chandhut police station stating that Rahul was killed after his motorcycle was hit by an unknown vehicle at Nangal road.


The accused brought the victim to the house from where he was rushed to the hospital, initially they didn't suspect anything any involvement of the friends. 


His brother-in-law, Akram Khan said that on the morning of December 15, they received the viral video and filed a complaint of murder.


He alleged this was all because they asked for a treat from the victim which he refused and this was the result of it.  


“In the video, they can be seen saying ‘you’re a Muslim’… Police should investigate if there is a communal angle and if he was targeted because of this. We want justice,” he alleged.