Families question police response to the attack on the eve of the Republic Day; rights groups call it a grave hate crime
NEW DELHI/KOLKATA – While the country was preparing to mark the 77th Republic Day with messages of unity, a disturbing incident in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district has raised serious questions over the safety of Indian Muslims and the response of law-enforcement agencies.
On the evening of 25 January, three Muslim meat traders were allegedly attacked by a mob of 40 to 50 people in the Jhulpiya area under Bishnupur police station limits. The victims were stripped, abused, accused of being “Bangladeshi”, and beaten severely, according to their families.
The injured men have been identified as Faraz Ali Piyada (35), Akkash Ali Piyada (37) and Ansar Ali Piyada (29), residents of Khodar Bazar Madhyapara in Baruipur. They have been running a mutton shop at the local Kachari market for several years.
According to the family, the trouble began with a minor business dispute earlier in the day. Some customers complained about the quality of the meat. In an attempt to avoid any argument, the traders slaughtered three more goats. Even then, the customers refused to take the meat and demanded their money back.
“Our father returned the money immediately so that the matter would end peacefully,” a family member said.
The issue did not end there. Later that evening, Faraz Ali was stopped near Jhulpiya Koylar Mor by four men and dragged into a nearby village. He was then surrounded by a large mob.
“They beat me until I could not stand,” Faraz Ali said from his home. “Before the police arrived, I was almost dead.”
He alleged that the attackers hurled communal slurs at him and told him, “You Muslim Bangladeshis live illegally on our land and eat from here.”
When Akkash Ali reached the spot after receiving a phone call for help, the violence intensified. According to him, the mob forced him to prove his identity.
“They surrounded me and humiliated me because I am Muslim,” he said. “They asked for my Aadhaar card. When I could not show it immediately, they forced me to write filthy and abusive lines about my own parents.”
Akkash Ali’s wife, Sujata Bibi, described the scene in tears. “They were carrying weapons and were beating my husband without mercy,” she said. “When I tried to save him, they tore my clothes, touched me inappropriately and kicked me in the chest.”
She further alleged that the attackers forcibly removed the men’s clothes to check their religious identity. “They checked the circumcision marks and then beat them with the intention to kill,” she said.
Ansar Ali, the youngest of the three, said he was also attacked when he tried to rescue his brothers. He claimed that the mob looted a gold chain, cash and wallets during the assault.
All three were first taken to Baruipur Hospital in a critical condition. They have since been discharged but remain bedridden at home, suffering from serious injuries and mental trauma.
“When I remember that torture, I break down,” one of the victims said quietly.
The victims’ father said the family now depends only on the law and human rights groups for justice. “My sons are Indian citizens. Still, they were called foreigners and treated worse than animals,” he said.
A senior police officer confirmed that a case has been registered and three people have been arrested so far. “The investigation is ongoing, and raids are being carried out to arrest others involved,” the officer said.
However, the family has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the pace of the investigation. They allege that key accused, including Chandan Mandal, Kartik Naskar, Indra Ghosh and Akash, are still moving freely despite being named as main attackers.
Legal experts and human rights organisations have condemned the incident, calling it a clear case of mob violence targeting Muslims.
“This is not just an assault; it is a serious attack on the dignity and citizenship of Indian Muslims,” a rights activist said. “Such crimes cannot be treated lightly.”
The incident has once again highlighted fears among Muslim communities, who say that branding Indian Muslims as “Bangladeshi” has become a common excuse for violence, even in states known for social harmony.
