Kozhikode: “I thought life would be peaceful, but it’s not to be,” said Manaf, the lorry owner, struggling to hold back his tears as he spoke to reporters following a case registered against him based on a complaint lodged by Arjun’s family.

“It was only this morning that I came to know about the case. I always strive to promote coexistence among religions. Manaf would never do anything to create tension between communities. I have asked people not to hurt Arjun’s family and to abstain from posting negative comments about them on social media. I have appealed to the public as much as I could. Until this moment, I have stood by Arjun’s family, and I will continue to do so in the future. No matter how hard they try to punish me legally, I will remain with them,” Manaf stated.

“Anyone can watch my YouTube channel. People can easily verify whether I have made any disparaging references against Arjun’s family,” he added.

The case was registered by Chevayur police based on a complaint from Arjun’s sister, Anju, who alleged that Manaf had incited communal hatred on social media. He is charged with attempting to create communal division in society.

Arjun’s family claimed that Manaf had spread background information and details about their family through social media, exploiting their mental and emotional vulnerability to increase the viewership of his YouTube channel.