A shocking incident of mob violence has surfaced from Gujarat, where a madrasa imam from Rajasthan was brutally assaulted by fellow passengers on the Gujarat Queen Express train. The elderly man, who was traveling to Ahmedabad to collect donations for his institution, was accused of molestation by a woman, leading to a vicious attack. According to reports, the imam was quietly reciting Quranic verses when some individuals started hurling derogatory slurs at him. Soon after, a woman pointed at him, labeled him a “Pakistani,” and accused him of inappropriate behavior. The situation escalated quickly, with multiple passengers slapping and beating him while he repeatedly pleaded for mercy, insisting on his innocence. Despite the grave nature of the allegations and assault, railway authorities have yet to issue any official statement.

The incident came to light after a video of the attack was widely circulated on social media. The footage, shared by BJP supporter Jitendra Pratap Singh with inflammatory captions, depicts the elderly man being slapped continuously while a woman accuses him of misconduct. The victim can be heard begging for forgiveness, but his attackers show no restraint, arguing that being old does not justify any alleged wrongdoing. The video has sparked outrage, with journalists and activists condemning the growing trend of mob violence against Muslims. Journalist Wasim Akram Tyagi highlighted the increasing cases where Muslims are targeted in public spaces, often with little to no evidence against them. Calls for strict action against those involved have been growing, but no arrests have been made so far.

This attack is not an isolated incident. Over the past year, several cases of hate crimes against Muslims on trains have been reported across India. In February 2024, a Muslim student in West Bengal was brutally beaten and labeled a “Bangladeshi” by a Hindutva extremist group. In Mumbai, a Muslim family was attacked and forced to chant religious slogans by a mob inside a moving train. Similarly, in September 2024, a group of madrasa students was violently assaulted while traveling to Mumbai. These incidents highlight the dangerous rise of communal hatred and mob justice, fueled by extremist ideologies. Human rights organizations and activists have urged the authorities to take immediate action to curb such violence, emphasizing the need for stricter enforcement of laws protecting religious minorities.