Indian charged with slapping Muslim cleric during prayers in Malaysia

On Wednesday, a 31-year-old Indian was charged in Malaysia with slapping a Muslim cleric and overstaying in the country by a Malaysian court.

Shabir Ahmad Khan faced relevant provisions of Malaysia's Penal Code for causing hurt to Imam Mohd Zuhairee and disturbing a religious assembly, as well as for the Immigration Act 1959 for overstaying. Khan pleaded guilty to the three charges.

Magistrate Siti Radziah Kamardin ordered Khan to undergo psychiatric evaluation and set the next mention date on November 30.

On September 18, Khan, who hails from Kashmir, was arrested for assaulting 37-year-old Imam at the National Mosque. According to police, Khan had tried to grab the Imam's microphone while the cleric was conducting Friday prayers and then slapped him on the right cheek.

The video of the incident was widely circulated on social media. "The man was an Indian national from Kashmir and had walked to the front and tried to shove the Imam Mohd Zuhairee," the Royal Malaysian police had said after the incident.

The man was later taken out of the mosque by the maintenance staff before he was handed over to traffic police personnel who were on duty in the area.

It was not clear what had triggered the man to attack the Imam. According to police, preliminary investigation found that the suspect was of unsound mind as he was seen speaking to himself. The incident had momentarily halted the Friday prayers which were resumed shortly after the suspect was escorted away, police said.