Another case of lynching in India calls for the urgent need to address the issue of religious intolerance when a 22-year-old Muslim was brutally beaten to death by a group of Hindu extremists after being accused of prasad theft.
A dark cloud hangs over the Sundar Nagri area of New Delhi following the brutal lynching of 22-year-old Mohammad Ishaq. The young Muslim man met a tragic end when he was accused of stealing from a Hindu temple, sparking shock and outrage throughout the community.
In a heartbreaking interview, Abdul Wajid, Ishaq’s father, fought back tears as he recounted the fateful morning. At his home, Ishaq’s sisters mourned in silence, their faces showing their grief.
The incident unfolded at dawn when a mob accused Ishaq of stealing “prasad”. They tied him to an iron pole with a leather belt and beat him mercilessly.
Wajid, a vegetable vendor, explained that he had often accepted prasad from his Hindu customers because he believed that prasad was a divine gift, whether from Bhagwan or Allah, and was an offering of goodwill.
Uzma, Ishaq’s sister, revealed that her brother was lynched “over a banana”, left tied to the pole, beaten and bruised. She further commented that her dear brother suffered because he was a Muslim.
A sympathetic neighbor found Ishaq on the side of the road, but tragically his injuries proved fatal. The family did not seek immediate medical attention, and authorities were not notified until after his death.
The incident, captured in a viral video, sparked public outrage and led to the arrest of six people and the filing of a murder case.
Joy N. Tirkey, the local police officer, said that preliminary findings indicated that a group of men stopped him on suspicion of theft and subjected him to this horrific end.
Neighbors remembered Ishaq as a simple and helpful young man who had never harmed anyone.
This tragedy underscores the disturbing trend of increasing attacks and mob violence in India, particularly against Muslims. Sharjeel Usmani, a prominent Muslim student activist in New Delhi, urged reflection among Hindu leaders, stressing that such attacks have now become a ritual.
The heart-rending incident serves as a reminder of the urgent need to fight religious intolerance and violence, irrespective of faith, to build unity and harmony in society.
