Muslim man beaten and publicly humiliated in northern India
Incident renewed concerns over mob vigilantism after videos appeared to show Muslim man beaten and marched through neighborhood
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A Muslim man was beaten and paraded through the streets by a group of radical Hindu vigilantes in northern India after they accused him of engaging in “love jihad,” a conspiracy theory frequently used by Hindu extremist groups to target interfaith relationships involving Muslim men.
The alleged assault took place in the Khora area of Ghaziabad district in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state. Videos widely circulated on social media appeared to show the victim being punched, shoved and forced to walk through the neighborhood while surrounded by a crowd of men.
According to posts shared online, the group was led by self-styled cow vigilante Rishi Rajput and his associates, who accused the man of “love jihad” before allegedly assaulting and publicly humiliating him. Some social media users claimed the victim was also forced to chant Hindu religious slogans during the ordeal.
The footage sparked widespread condemnation online, with users demanding legal actions against the goons who were involved in the mob violence.
One widely shared post said no individual or organization had the authority to accuse someone of a crime, assault them and publicly parade them through the streets, adding that guilt or innocence could only be determined by the courts.
There was no immediate statement from Ghaziabad Police confirming whether a criminal case had been registered or whether any arrests had been made.
The term “love jihad” refers to an unfounded conspiracy theory promoted by Hindu extremist organizations claiming that Muslim men deliberately seek relationships with Hindu women as part of a coordinated effort to convert them to Islam.
Although no evidence has been produced to support the claim, the narrative has fueled vigilante attacks and prompted several Indian states, most of them governed by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, to enact laws regulating religious conversion through marriage.
Human rights groups have repeatedly warned that such allegations have been used to justify harassment, assaults and arbitrary detention of Muslims, particularly in northern India, where self-styled vigilante groups have increasingly intervened in matters they claim involve religion, interfaith relationships or cow protection.
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