A Muslim college student has said he was beaten by a gang of vigilante thugs for posing with five female Hindu classmates . Muhammad Riyaz , 20 , was reportedly in the corner of a photo taken in India 's conservative city of Mangalore which spread on WhatsApp and came to the attention of so-called 'moral police ' . Speaking from his hospital bed , he said a gang kidnapped him and beat him mercilessly , demanding to know the location of his friend who had lain across the girls ' laps . Offending image : Muhammad Riyaz , 20 , was reportedly the student on the left-hand side of this photo taken in Mangalore , India , which spread on WhatsApp and came to the attention of so-called 'moral police ' It is believed the photograph was first circulated on February 22 after being taken at a college in the suburb of Surathkal where Mr Riyaz studied computer science . It quickly caused ripples in the morally conservative part of India , causing 'emotional outbursts ' among other students , the college claimed . Events came to a head when Mr Riyaz received a phone call from friends after a vigilante group had persuaded fellow college students to identify him . He said he went to a friend 's house where a gang of men appeared and dragged him into a car , driving him to the edge of the city . While they beat him - including with wooden sticks - they demanded to know where his friend was and why he , a Muslim , had taken a photo with Hindu girls , he said . His ordeal lasted several hours , after which he was abandoned three miles from home and left to find his way to getting medical help . According to The News Minute , the student said : 'We were outside near the gate , when a Maruti 800 car came and they asked me something . Then suddenly , they just hold of me and dragged me into the car . 'All of us have been very close since the first year . If we were not close , would the girls permit it ? 'See the photo . They are all smiling . If it was forced , then would the girls be smiling ? ' Assistant Commissioner of Police Ravi Kumar told The Indian Express : 'After the photograph was circulated on social media sites , a vigilante group got other students from the college to identify the deviant youth and on learning that he was probably a Muslim , decided to attack him . ' Officers say Mr Riyaz 's friend has gone into hiding rather than seek police protection , afraid that he will receive the same treatment from the mob . Despite the student 's ordeal , the response from his college was initially unsympathetic . The five girls and one of the boys were suspended four days after the incident , and one teacher told an Indian news channel she was 'ashamed ' of the way they had behaved by posing for the photo . However , the teacher added that she felt 'really sorry ' for the students in the photo , who may yet be pardoned by their school . The city is in a part of India with several right-wing conservative Hindu groups , the most extreme of which are dubbed 'moral police ' . Last month Hindu pressure groups said would confront unmarried couples in the street on Valentine 's Day and demand they wed on the spot .
Muhammad Riyaz was part of playful group in city of Mangalore , India . He sat next to two female classmates while a friend sat across their laps . Photo spread on campus and was noticed by so - called ' moral police ' Mr Riyaz , meanwhile , said gang beat him demanding to know where friend was . He said from hospital bed : ' If it was forced , would the girl be raped ? '