Indian police accused of harassing Muslims at book event
Officers allegedly harassed guests at the launch of a memoir by Muslim man acquitted in 2006 Mumbai train blasts after 19 years in prison
MUMBAI, India (MNTV) — Police in the western Indian state of Maharashtra have been accused of harassing organisers and guests at a book event celebrating the memoir of a Muslim man wrongfully imprisoned for nearly two decades under India’s anti-terror laws.
The gathering in Aurangabad on Saturday marked the re-launch of Horror Saga, a prison memoir by Ehtesham Siddiqui, who spent 19 years in jail for the 2006 Mumbai train bombings before the Bombay High Court overturned his conviction in July.
Siddiqui was one of five men sentenced to death in 2015 under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), a law widely criticised by rights groups for its sweeping powers and frequent use against Muslim suspects.
Organisers from the local Innocence Network said police repeatedly called them ahead of the launch, urging cancellation and warning the venue owner. On the evening of the event, officers stationed near the site allegedly stopped attendees for questioning, collected their personal details, and told some that the gathering was “dangerous” because it involved “bomb-blast accused.” Several invitees reportedly turned back amid intimidation.
Despite the pressure, the event proceeded peacefully at Baitul Yateem near Haj House, drawing around 50 participants, including journalists, lawyers, and activists. Speakers condemned the wrongful incarceration of Siddiqui and others acquitted in the 7/11 case (Mumbai train blast), demanding state compensation and public acknowledgement of miscarriages of justice.
Among them was Dr Abdul Wahid — himself once falsely charged under anti-terror provisions and author of Begunah Qaidi (“The Innocent Prisoner”) — who called the memoir “a testament to endurance under state persecution.”
The Innocence Network described the actions as an abuse of authority violating constitutional rights to free expression and peaceful assembly.
In a letter to the Aurangabad Police Commissioner, the group demanded disciplinary proceedings against the officers involved. “If the police fear being defamed by the truths in a book, they should reform themselves rather than target citizens acting within the law,” the statement read.
Analysts say the episode highlights a broader pattern in India, where Muslims cleared of terror charges often remain under suspicion and face intimidation for speaking publicly about wrongful prosecutions.
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