An Indian-origin Muslim man in South Africa was allegedly beaten to death by two people who made racial taunts against him because of his beard.
The two white men allegedly made religious and racial taunts against Mohammed Fayaz Kazi from Ventersdorp, who was dressed in traditional Muslim
garb and had a beard.
"They called us 'Bin Laden' and 'Coolies' while we were in a store to buy food to end our daily fast during (the current month of) Ramadan ," said Kazi's friend Ansar Mahmood.
When Kazi, 33, and Mahmood objected to the taunts a fight broke out among them. Mahmood was mostly hit in the face, while Kazi was beaten over the head.
Later Kazi was taken to hospital where he died of brain injury suffered during the assault.
Now police in the North West Province of South Africa are looking for two white Afrikaans-speaking men in connection with the case.
But the small, closely-knit Indian community of the rural town of Ventersdorp said the incident would not harm the good relations between them and the local white community of mainly farmers.