Rights group challenges police abuse of Muslims in India
Minority advocacy body demands action after Muslim men were beaten in custody and paraded in public during Hindu festival processions in state of Gujarat
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Allegations of custodial abuse in western India have triggered a legal challenge after Muslim men arrested during Hindu festival processions were allegedly tortured and then paraded through the streets by police.
The Minority Coordination Committee (MCC), an advocacy group based in Gujarat, said the incidents occurred on August 26–27 in the Panigate area of Vadodara city. According to the group, detainees were assaulted while in custody and later forced to walk publicly under what police described as a “crime re-enactment” — a procedure meant to reconstruct events for investigators but which rights groups say was used as a pretext for humiliation.
Media footage of the march circulated on August 27, sparking criticism from community leaders and civil society organizations. Despite widespread coverage, the MCC said no action has been taken against officers involved.
The group has served a legal notice to senior state officials, including the chief secretary and the director general of police, demanding disciplinary and criminal proceedings.
Mujahid Nafees, convener of the MCC, argued that the episode violated Article 21 of India’s Constitution, which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty, as well as safeguards laid down by the Supreme Court in its 1997 D.K. Basu vs State of West Bengal ruling. That landmark decision established strict guidelines to prevent custodial torture and abuse.
“The actions of the police are in grave breach of constitutional protections and Supreme Court directives,” Nafees said in a statement, adding that the MCC would escalate the case in court if authorities fail to respond.
Custodial violence has long been a concern in India, with rights groups documenting cases of police brutality and public shaming of detainees. The Supreme Court and the National Human Rights Commission have repeatedly reminded state authorities to comply with established safeguards on arrests and detention.
The MCC has previously raised concerns about policing practices in Gujarat, where rights advocates say minority communities are disproportionately targeted during communal tensions.
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