Govt must take steps to identify source of my WhatsApp message: Retired Navy officer Madan Sharma

Madan Sharma, the retired Navy officer who alleged he was beaten up by Shiv Sena workers in Mumbai for forwarding a message said that people should be allowed to exercise the fundamental right of freedom of expression and added that the government must step in to identify the primary source of the forwarded message.

"In our country, everyone has the freedom to express and Whatsapp is a medium to stay connected and share the news. The government should take steps to identify the source of a message, from where did it generate," he said speaking to .

Talking about the incident, Sharma's daughter Dr Sheela Shamatold that hours after forwarding the message, her father received a phone call and added that "a number of people from Shiv Sena attacked him. Later, the police came to our residence and insisted on taking my father with them. We have registered an FIR."

The victim's son Sunny Sharma talked about the injuries received by his father and said, "My father has received injury on of his eyes. Doctors told me that recovery will take one month. I believe that citizens should be allowed to practice freedom of speech. They should be allowed to express their views."

So far, six people have been arrested by the Mumbai police overnight after an FIR was registered in connection with the incident. The six were later released on bail today.

Reacting to the incident, Bharatiya Janata Party and opposition leader in Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis had expressed shock and appealed to the state's Chief Minister to take action against the accused.

( With inputs from ANI )