The "Hijab Challenge" video aimed to show women how they’d look in hijabs. Some women participated, trying on hijabs and burqas, with Ahmed taking photos and complimenting them on their appearance
Published Nov 05, 2024 | 3:47 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 05, 2024 | 3:47 PM
Coimbatore YouTuber arrested over "Hijab Challenge" video, granted bail (Al Kaswa Tv on youtube)
Coimbatore-based YouTuber Anas Ahmed was arrested and released on conditional bail after filming a video titled “Hijab Challenge,” which involved asking young women at Coimbatore’s Race Course to wear a hijab.
The incident sparked controversy, with objections raised by Hindu organisations and a complaint filed against Ahmed for disturbing women without consent.
Anas Ahmed, a resident of Coonoor in the Nilgiris district, runs the YouTube channel AL Kaswa TV. On 3 October, Ahmed approached young women who were exercising at the Race Course walkway, asking if they would participate in a video for his channel.
The video, titled “Hijab Challenge,” was meant to show how the women would look in a hijab. Some women agreed to participate, trying on hijabs and burqas with Ahmed taking photos and complimenting them, telling them they looked “cute” and “beautiful.”
The video was uploaded to YouTube and quickly went viral on social media, but it soon drew criticism from members of Hindu organisations.
They raised concerns about the nature of the challenge and the potential for it to cause offence.
The situation escalated when Kumaresan, the Coimbatore District Coordinator of Bharat Sena from Ganapathy area, filed a complaint with the Cyber Crime Police, alleging that Ahmed had filmed and disturbed the women without their consent.
Following the complaint, the police charged Anas Ahmed under sections related to filming without permission and disturbing women. He was arrested by the Cyber Crime Police and presented before the 5th Judicial Magistrate Court in Coimbatore on 5 October.
After spending 50 days in jail, the Madras High Court granted Ahmed conditional bail, stipulating that he report daily to the Coimbatore Cyber Crime Office for signing until further orders.
In response to the arrest, Mohan, the advocate handling Ahmed’s case, told South First that the “Hijab Challenge” video started as a simple social experiment in which participants were invited to try on a hijab regardless of their religion.
According to the lawyer, all participants consented voluntarily, and the video was filmed in a lighthearted, non-coercive manner.
Mohan further argued that the complaint filed by Kumaresan, a member of the Bharat Sena, was based on baseless claims and social media comments rather than actual incidents of harassment. He emphasised that there was no force involved in the challenge and that it had no malicious intent.
The lawyer also criticised the charges of “cyber terrorism,” noting that this term is typically used for unauthorised access to official data, and was improperly applied in this case.
Despite the objections, the FIR was registered under the charge of “cyber terrorism,” leading to Ahmed’s arrest. Mohan continues to contest the charges, asserting that the case has been unnecessarily politicised and that it stems from online comments and misunderstandings surrounding the challenge.
Ahmed, currently out on bail, remains in judicial custody pending further court orders.
(Edited by Ananya Rao with inputs from Nitika Shivani)
