Hindu student attacked by Muslim men for expressing his religious identity by posting a religious Instagram story
Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India 
29 September, 2024
Case Summary
In Sultanpur district, Uttar Pradesh, a Hindu student named Ankit Tiwari was violently attacked and threatened with death for posting a religious status on Instagram. The incident took place at MGSI College, where Ankit is a student. On September 30, 2024, a group of Muslim students identified as Shahid Qureshi, Ayan Ahmed, Hasnain, and another individual, confronted Ankit, enraged by his Hindu religious post. They surrounded him, issuing death threats, and forced him to flee to escape their violence. Later, Ankit was caught again by the same attackers, along with his friend Sujal Bharti. They beat Ankit, recorded a video of him apologising, and then uploaded the video on Instagram. After the incident, Ankit's mother lodged a complaint with the police on October 2, 2024. Ankit’s mother received death threats after filing the complaint. She referred to the attackers as a "religious fanatic group" and demanded strict action against them.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under the category- Attack not resulting in death, under which the sub-category selected is- Attacked for Hindu identity. In several cases, Hindus are attacked merely for their Hindu identity without any perceived provocation. A classic example of this category of religiously motivated hate crime is a murder in 2016. 7 ISIS terrorists were convicted for shooting a school principal in Kanpur because they got ‘triggered’ seeing the Kalava on his wrist and tilak that he had put. In this, the Hindu victim had offered no provocation except for his Hindu religious identity. The motivation for the murder was purely religious, driven by religious supremacy. Such cases where Hindus are targeted merely for their religious identity would be documented as a hate crime under this category. In this case, the Hindu youth- Ankit Tiwari was specifically targeted because of his religious status on Instagram, reflecting an attack on his identity as a Hindu. This violent response to Ankit’s expression of his Hindu identity underscores a blatant attempt to instil fear and prevent him and others from openly practising or acknowledging their faith. It exemplifies an attack on personal freedom driven by religious prejudice, where Ankit’s association with Hinduism became the very reason for his victimisation. Further, the death threats and attempts to intimidate Ankit based on his beliefs highlight the hostility rooted in religious bias. The nature of the threats and violence underscores a deeper animosity toward Ankit's faith, reinforcing this as a hate crime with clear elements of religious prejudice and intolerance.
Victim Details
Total Victim
2
Deceased
0
Gender
- Male 1
- Female 1
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 0
Caste
- SC/ST 0
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 2
Age Group
- Minor 0
- Adult 2
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 0
Case Status
Complaint registered
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
