Former Hindu Youth Organisation (HYO) deputy president P Rajendran, 55, said he believed the incident was related to his criticism of the Penang Hindu Endowment Board over the introduction of the golden chariot procession for Thaipusam, reported The Star Online.
“I came to this conclusion after listening to the men’s conversations in the car and at several places,” he said at the Central Seberang Prai police district station after lodging a report yesterday.
The news portal reported that Rajendran had posted an audio clip on WhatsApp in which he warned board chairman P Ramasamy, who is Penang Deputy Chief Minister II, and two other board officials against interfering in religious affairs. He also ordered them to stop running down the chettiars.
The audio clip went viral, resulting in others criticising him through audio clips they posted too.
Rajendran, who is also the former Penang HYO chairman, said he was waiting for his friend at a fast-food outlet in Permatang Pauh at 12.30pm on Tuesday when three men approached him.
“They assaulted me and dragged me into a car. They took me to the Seberang Prai Municipal Council headquarters in Bandar Perda.
“Along the way, they assaulted me again and warned me not to talk bad about a senior DAP leader and the golden chariot,” he claimed.
According to Rajendran, he was made to sit on a bench at the council where a drama was staged as if he was being assaulted for cheating some people, and the incident was recorded on video.
He claimed he was repeatedly assaulted at a car park and then at a fast food outlet near a shopping complex in Bukit Mertajam.
Rajendran said he managed to jump out of the vehicle near Taman Bayu Mutiara in Bukit Tengah.
“They chased me, but I managed to escape. I called a friend and he took me to the Bukit Mertajam Hospital where I was admitted for observation,” the portal quoted Rajendran as saying.
Central Seberang Prai district police chief Asst Comm Nik Ros Azhan Nik Abdul Hamid confirmed a report had been lodged and said police were still investigating the matter.
According to the news portal, Ramasamy, when asked for his comments, said Rajendran was seeking publicity.
“If there is anything wrong with Hindus, I am being blamed for it just like how (Chief Minister) Lim Guan Eng gets blamed for other things.
“Let the police investigate his allegations,” he said.