Muslim cop punished for citing Prophet before students in India
Disciplinary action follows complaints by Hindu extremist groups, highlighting double standards in policing under Hindu nationalist rule
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A Muslim police officer in northern India has been removed from active duty after Hindu extremist groups accused him of delivering “Islamic indoctrination” to schoolchildren during a public safety program, raising fresh concerns about religious double standards in the country’s law enforcement system.
Afaq Khan, a sub-inspector in the traffic police, was placed on non-field duty after a video circulated online showing him briefly referencing Islamic teachings while addressing students at a road safety awareness event at a school in Kannauj district earlier this month.
The program was held as part of a routine police initiative aimed at educating students about traffic rules and public safety.
The disciplinary action followed a complaint filed by local leaders of the Bajrang Dal and the Vishva Hindu Parishad — organizations aligned with India’s Hindu supremacist movement — who accused Khan of delivering “religious sermons” and claimed their sentiments had been hurt. Senior police officials ordered an inquiry and later removed Khan from duty pending further proceedings.
In the video, Khan tells students that “when a daughter is born, blessings enter a home,” referring to a saying attributed to the Prophet Muhammad. He adds that before Islam, daughters were often treated as a burden in parts of Arabia, but that Prophet Muhammad opposed this practice and emphasized the protection and dignity of girls.
The incident occurred in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, governed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a Hindu monk-turned-politician whose administration has been widely associated with aggressive Hindu nationalist politics.
Under his government, Muslim officials, teachers and clerics have repeatedly faced disciplinary action or police cases over speech, social media posts or religious expression.
At the same time, Hindu police personnel in the state are frequently seen participating in, facilitating or providing security for Hindu religious processions, chants and rituals — often in uniform — without facing comparable scrutiny or punishment.
Rights advocates and analysts say this contrast points to selective enforcement shaped by ideology rather than neutrality.
Khan’s case has drawn particular attention because of his public profile. He has more than 900,000 followers on Instagram and around 2.3 million followers on Facebook, where he regularly posts videos promoting traffic safety, helmet use and lawful driving.
His content has often been praised for reaching young audiences in a state with high rates of road accidents.
The case has intensified concerns among Muslim government employees, who say they increasingly feel compelled to erase visible markers of faith to avoid professional consequences, even as the state’s political climate openly privileges Hindu religious symbolism.
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