Imam saves seven Hindu passengers from drowning in India
Imam uses mosque loudspeaker to mobilize rescue after car plunges into pond, offering rare moment of unity in a region scarred by anti-Muslim hostility and segregation politics
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — In India’s northeastern state of Assam, a Muslim imam is being widely praised for saving the lives of seven Hindu passengers after their car plunged into a pond before dawn on Monday, in an incident that has become a powerful counter-narrative to rising communal polarization in the region.
According to the Millattimes.com, the rescue unfolded in Nilam Bazaar in southern Assam’s Karimganj district, where Imam Abdul Basit of Bodo Badi Jama Masjid awoke to an unusual sound and spotted the headlights of a sinking vehicle beneath the water’s surface.
Realizing the urgency, Basit ran to the mosque’s loudspeaker system — normally used for the Islamic call to prayer — and broadcast a plea for immediate help.
“I saw the lights of the car under the water and knew we had to act immediately,” Basit said. “I made the announcement and asked everyone to come and help.”
Within minutes, dozens of Muslim residents rushed into the cold water, smashed the car windows, and pulled all seven passengers to safety before the vehicle fully submerged. The passengers, who were returning to the neighboring state of Tripura after travelling through Silchar, continued their journey later by other vehicles.
Local clerics described the act as a reminder of shared humanity beyond religious divides. “This is a true message of humanity,” said Maulana Abdul Hafeez, noting that the rescued passengers were from the Hindu community. Basit added, “We didn’t think about religion. The priority was to save lives.”
Community members, political representatives and local authorities reportedly visited Basit to commend him, with officials indicating that a formal recognition may follow.
Assam has emerged as a center of anti-Muslim politics, with mass evictions, demolition of Muslim homes, and the portrayal of Bengali-origin Muslims as “Bangladeshi infiltrators” by the BJP-led state government under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Rights groups warn that these policies intensify segregation and encourage vigilantism.
Against that backdrop, Basit’s actions — and the rapid response of the local Muslim community to save Hindu lives — stand out as a symbolic rejection of communal hate and a reminder that ordinary people often resist divisive politics.
At a time when Muslims in Assam are subjected to routine suspicion, violent evictions and political vilification, the rescue has renewed attention to the community’s moral resilience.
Despite living under constant attack, it was Muslim residents who rushed into the water to save Hindu lives — an act of humanity that starkly contrasts with the hostility and dehumanization they face in everyday life.
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