India’s Muslim community face police raids after Delhi blast
Mass checks across mosques, madrasas and Muslim homes in Haryana spark anger as residents say policing has turned identity into suspicion
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Police in the northern Indian state of Haryana have launched sweeping checks across mosques, madrasas, rented homes and workplaces in Nuh district after a recent car explosion in New Delhi, prompting widespread anger among local Muslims who say they are being targeted en masse without cause.
The district, located near the national capital, is one of the few Muslim-majority regions in the state.
The searches began shortly after investigators claimed that the prime suspect in the Delhi explosion had briefly visited a mosque in Nuh.
According to Clarion India, police leadership in the district ordered an intensified crackdown, directing station heads to expand surveillance, collect data from institutions and monitor movement across the region.
Authorities insist the operation is a security precaution. Nuh police chief Rajesh Kumar said the force was acting to prevent “terrorist or anti-social activity,” adding that officers were gathering information from schools, colleges, factories and religious centers. He said the data would be shared with investigative agencies “to stop suspicious activity in time.”
But residents say the scale and focus of the sweep have reinforced the perception that Muslim identity itself is being treated as a threat.
Community members recount police teams inspecting prayer halls, questioning madrasa teachers and warning landlords to verify tenants. “Our mosques are places of worship, not crime scenes,” said Shahid Ali, who described the atmosphere as one of “collective suspicion.”
Others say the impact is psychological as much as physical. A local schoolteacher, requesting anonymity, said families were “afraid to even step out,” worried that ordinary movement could attract police scrutiny.
Retired madrasa teacher Abdul Rehman said the checks deepen longstanding grievances: “Our youth already face discrimination. Now our places of worship feel criminalized.”
The sense of unequal treatment is widespread. Shopkeeper Irfan Qureshi questioned why the presence of a suspect in a mosque — a public space — justified raids across hundreds of religious sites.
“If a criminal visits a market, they don’t raid all shops. But if he visits a mosque, every Muslim institution becomes suspicious,” he said.
Rights advocates argue the sweep fits a broader trend in India, where Muslims often face aggressive policing, surveillance and administrative pressure after security incidents, especially in states governed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Social worker Samina Khan said the Nuh operation “looks less like an investigation and more like targeting,” warning that the approach risks alienating an entire community.
Local youth volunteers say cooperation would be easier if authorities communicated transparently instead of treating the district as a zone of suspicion.
“If police seek information, people will help,” said Faizan Ahmed. “But storming into every mosque and madrasa without explanation only spreads fear.”
Community leaders have urged authorities to adopt a measured and rights-based approach, warning that blanket raids could damage relations that have taken years to build. “Nuh has always cooperated with security agencies,” a local imam said. “What we need is respect, not presumption of guilt.”
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