Mohammad Shoaib from Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh attacked by unidentified men, forced to pay exorbitant charges in hospital; Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind demands justice
MUMBAI – A Muslim youth travelling from Mumbai to Delhi in search of work was brutally attacked near Surat railway station in Gujarat.
The victim, 26-year-old Mohammad Shoaib from Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh, sustained grievous injuries, was abandoned, and later denied urgent medical admission by multiple hospitals in Delhi NCR. The shocking incident has raised serious questions about the treatment of Muslims in India and the failure of authorities to protect vulnerable citizens.
According to accounts gathered by Clarion India and confirmed by family members, Shoaib had left Mumbai on the night of 14 August after failing to secure employment there. His aim was to reach Delhi and look for work opportunities. But his journey took a tragic turn when the train in which he was travelling reportedly halted about a kilometre ahead of Surat railway station.
Some passengers informed Shoaib that the train was not heading directly to Delhi. Confused and worried, he disembarked. As he walked some distance, a group of unidentified men called him out. When he ignored them and continued walking, they suddenly attacked him. Shoaib was beaten so badly that he lost consciousness.
In this critical condition, an unknown person placed him on a train bound for Delhi. By sheer chance, he reached Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station in the capital. Weak, starving, and severely injured, he somehow managed to contact his relatives before collapsing.
His uncle and other family members traced him, gave him food – as he had not eaten for four days – and rushed him to several hospitals. Shockingly, most refused to admit him.
Speaking to Clarion India, Maulana Hakimuddin Qasmi, General Secretary of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (Mahmood Madani faction), expressed grave concern: “When we learnt of Shoaib’s case, we tried many times to establish contact with his family. Finally, we spoke to his uncle. The boy was in a very serious condition, unable to talk. This is not just an attack on one individual but a mirror of how Muslims are being treated in the country.”
Family members revealed that Shoaib was finally admitted only after Yashoda Hospital in Ghaziabad demanded a deposit of ₹4,40,000. His relatives had to pool resources, borrowing and raising money in desperation.
His uncle said in tears: “He had no food for days, no strength left, and no hospital was ready to help us. Why should we pay nearly five lakh rupees just for him to be admitted? If he was a Hindu boy, would the hospitals have turned us away like this?”
Shoaib underwent surgery after the money was deposited. Doctors have said the operation was successful, but he remains too weak to speak at length.
So far, neither Gujarat police nor Delhi police have registered a formal First Information Report (FIR) regarding the attack. Activists allege that this silence is part of a larger pattern of ignoring crimes against Muslims.
Advocate Firoz Khan, a Delhi-based lawyer and human rights activist, said: “This is a criminal attack on a young man. It took place in Gujarat, a state where Muslims have faced repeated violence and intimidation. Why has no FIR been filed? Why are the attackers still at large? This is how justice is denied.”
Shoaib’s ordeal also highlights the double burden faced by Indian Muslims: not only are they denied equal job opportunities, but they also face physical insecurity while travelling or seeking jobs.
According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), Muslim youth face higher unemployment rates compared to their Hindu counterparts. Many complain of discrimination during job interviews and exclusion from housing in urban centres.
Rukhsar Begum, a cousin of Shoaib, told reporters: “He just wanted to work with dignity. He left home because there were no jobs in Bahraich. But he was punished only because of his identity. In India today, a Muslim boy cannot even travel safely.”
The attack on Shoaib comes amid rising cases of assault on Muslims in public spaces, especially in states like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh. Muslim men have been lynched on suspicion of cow slaughter, assaulted for wearing skullcaps, and targeted for interfaith friendships.
Human rights groups have repeatedly warned that such violence has created a climate of fear.
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has placed India on its watch list for systematic violations of minority rights.
Maulana Hakimuddin Qasmi drew attention to this wider trend: “This is not an isolated case. Across the country, Muslims are being harassed, attacked, and denied justice. Shoaib’s case is a reminder that we are unsafe even while searching for work.”
Perhaps the most disturbing part of Shoaib’s story is the refusal of hospitals to treat him without an advance payment of nearly half a million rupees.
Healthcare experts point out that under Indian law, hospitals are duty-bound to provide emergency care regardless of payment. Yet, in practice, poor and minority patients are often turned away.
Dr Sameer Ansari, a physician in Delhi, remarked: “No hospital can legally deny treatment to an emergency patient. Yet it happens every day. In Shoaib’s case, there was not just medical neglect but also prejudice. If a Muslim youth is brought in, hospitals fear police cases and avoid responsibility.”
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, one of the oldest Muslim organisations in India, has stepped in to support Shoaib and his family. Its leaders visited him in hospital, assured financial aid, and demanded a proper investigation into the attack.
Maulana Qasmi said: “We will not let this matter be buried. We will press for an FIR, for arrests, and for accountability from hospitals. Shoaib is a victim not just of thugs on the street but of a system that discriminates against Muslims.”
Shoaib’s father, a small farmer in Bahraich, is devastated. Speaking to reporters over the phone, he said, “My son left home only to earn bread for the family. He wanted to support us. Now, he is fighting for his life in a hospital bed. We want justice. We want those who did this to him to be punished.”
The family has also appealed for financial help, as the cost of treatment continues to rise. Local community members have started collecting donations.
For Muslim organisations, Shoaib’s ordeal is not just about one man but a reflection of the insecurity faced by millions. It is a test case for whether the state machinery will act fairly.
As of now, the attackers remain unidentified, no official case has been filed, and the family continues to struggle with medical bills.
Advocate Khan summed it up bluntly: “When a Muslim is attacked, the police look away, hospitals refuse, and politicians stay silent. This is the new India. If justice is denied in Shoaib’s case, then no Muslim in this country is safe.”
