In another incident of anti-Muslim violence in the country, a 62-year-old elderly Muslim man was stripped down his pajama, brutally thrashed, and robbed off his cash and valuables by three youths in Noida Sector 37 in the National Capital Region on Sunday morning.
A resident of Delhi’s Zakir Nagar, Kazim Ahmed told The Cognate, that he was attacked while he was on his way to Aligarh to attend a wedding. The victim said the assailants raised anti-Muslim slogans and targeted him allegedly over his religious identity.
“While I was waiting for the bus at sector-37 to reach Aligarh, some people in a white car called me towards them. As I went there they pulled me inside the car, rolled up the windows of the car, and started brutally beating me,” he said.
Ahmed alleged that he pleaded to spare his life, but they continued to hit him. “They pulled down my pajama, put a screwdriver in my nose, and snatched away my money. They snatched away the gifts I was carrying for my niece’s wedding and spectacles. They pulled my beard and tried to choke me with the towel they were wearing,” he told The Cognate.
The elderly man said he was beaten and was left unconscious on the road. After gathering himself from there, he went to the Noida Sector 37 police station and filed a complaint against three unidentified men. The police have registered an FIR in the case.
Ahmed said while he was being thrashed brutally, he thought his name will be added to the growing list of Muslims getting lynched by Hindutva extremists in the country.
He said this is not the first time he was attacked. “Last year, I was attacked while travelling to Aligarh in train over my identity.”
His son Arham (20) was afraid to speak to this reporter fearing landing up in trouble and being target of the administration, which has become a norm these days.
He said the police will provide the copy of the FIR to the family Monday and his father is being treated at home by his family doctor.
