Hindu youth assaulted by Muslim men for commemorating ‘Shaurya Divas’ on social media

Case Summary
Five Muslim men, identified as Mizan Sheikh, Ayaan Sheikh, Aayesh Shah, Sharik Shah, and Fahim Sheikh, brutally assaulted a Dalit Hindu for sharing an Instagram story commemorating Shaurya Divas (the day when Babri Mosque standing at Ram Janmabhoomi was demolished). The accused persons pelted stones at the Dalit Hindu and also assaulted him with wooden sticks. According to the FIR, Nayan (name changed for security reasons) shared an Instagram story celebrating the valour of Hindu activists on Shaurya Divas. This angered Mizan Sheikh, allegedly a 'friend' of the victim, who accused Nayan of practising 'casteism' and began abusing him. When Nayan questioned the relevance of casteism to his post, Mizan escalated the confrontation. Later that day, as Nayan was heading to pick up his sister from school, Mizan, along with 15-20 associates including Ayaan Sheikh, Aayesh Shah, Sharik Shah, and Fahim Sheikh, ambushed him. They attacked him with wooden sticks and pelted stones. Nayan was severely injured but managed to call his cousin, who rushed him to the hospital. Meanwhile, the assailants fled the scene but were booked by the police following a complaint filed by Nayan's father.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
Distinct elements in this particular case demonstrate that the crime was committed while harbouring a bias against the Hindu faith. As per case details, the prime category under which this case has been placed in the database is-Attack not resulting in death. Within this, 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. This case clearly underscores elements demonstrating that the crime was driven by animosity towards the Hindu faith. The victim was specifically targeted for sharing an Instagram story commemorating Shaurya Divas, a day of great significance to Hindus. The assault was not random but explicitly rooted in Nayan’s Hindu identity and his expression of support for Shaurya Divas, which honours the demolition of the Babri structure. For Hindus, this day symbolizes the broader struggle to reclaim the Ram Janmabhoomi and the sacrifices of countless devotees, particularly Karsevaks, who dedicated their lives to reclaiming a site that was forcibly taken by Islamic invaders, who humiliated the native Hindu community by constructing a mosque atop an existing temple. The attack on Nayan was an unprovoked act of hostility, carried out by Muslim men who harboured deep animosity towards Hinduism and its sacred symbols, prompting them to violently target him for celebrating Shaurya Divas on social media and this is why this case has been added to the Hinduphobia tracker.
Victim Details
Total Victim
1
Deceased
0
Gender
- Male 1
- Female 0
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 0
Caste
- SC/ST 1
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 0
Age Group
- Minor 0
- Adult 1
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 0

Case Status
Arrested

Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male