IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (December 19, 2025)
(Suhail.K.U/ Maktoob)
IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (IHRM)
A weekly digest of persecution, resistance, and the fight for justice in India and the diaspora.
This Week at a Glance
This week, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar drew condemnation after forcibly pulling at a Muslim woman doctor’s niqab during a public event, while a Uttar Pradesh court handed a death sentence and multiple life terms to Muslim men following communal violence in Bahraich. In Bihar’s Nawada, a Muslim man died after a brutal, targeted mob assault. Concerns over targeted disenfranchisement deepened as draft electoral rolls revealed the deletion of more than 10 million voters. Across states, hate crimes continued, from attacks on pregnant Muslim women and disruptions of Friday prayers to mosque-related provocations – while Jamia Millia Islamia students marked six years since the 2019 police crackdown, reaffirming resistance to state violence. On the US front, IAMC condemned a disturbing act of hate in which Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pulled down the face veil of a Muslim doctor, and co-hosted an event for South Asians looking to address rising hate in the United States.
Top Stories
Bihar Chief Minister Pulls Down Niqab of Muslim Woman During Ceremony
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has sparked nationwide outrage after yanking at the face veil (niqab) of a Muslim doctor during a government event, exposing her nose and chin. In a video of the incident, people in the background can be seen laughing. Civil society and opposition leaders have called for Kumar’s resignation.
SIR draft rolls reveal over 10 million voter deletions across states
The draft electoral rolls after the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal, Rajasthan, Goa, Lakshadweep and Puducherry reveal a significant contraction in the electorate, with more than 10 million names removed from voter rolls. India’s opposition leaders have alleged the SIR is being used by the ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) as an underhand “citizenship survey.” State leaders have claimed it is being used to disenfranchise poor and minority voters, particularly Muslims, and manipulate the electoral roll to benefit the Modi government.
Muslim Man Tortured, Lynched by Hindu Extremists in Bihar
In Nawada, Bihar, 40-year-old Mohammad Athar Hussain died after undergoing treatment for injuries sustained during a Hindu extremist mob attack. His assailants opened his pants to check his religious identity, beat him with iron rods and sticks, broke his fingers, trampled him on the chest, and even poured petrol over his body in an attempt to burn him. Hussain recounted that the attackers used pliers to crush his feet, fingers, and ears, and struck him with bricks.
Court Sentences Muslim Man to Death in October 2024 Violence, Nine Others Get Life Imprisonment
A local court sentenced 10 Muslims in the 2024 killing of Ram Gopal Mishra, which occurred during a procession linked to a Hindu procession in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich. The court awarded the death penalty to the first accused and life imprisonment to nine others. Mishra was shot dead moments after he was seen on the rooftop of a Muslim house, vandalising the property and removing the green flag to wave the saffron one in front of a cheering mob. The fatal escalation led to mob violence against Muslim properties. Several Muslims were beaten and detained in midnight raids by police, searching for the accused in the murder.
Pregnant Muslim woman kicked in stomach by Hindu hospital staff
A pregnant Muslim woman was kicked in the stomach by a Hindu staff member, Rohit Yadav, when she was at a hospital for a routine check-up. Yadav accused the woman’s husband of chewing betel and demanded that he pay a fine. When the man refused, Yadav assaulted him and then his wife, causing her to collapse.
Hate crimes and discrimination in India
This week, a group of Hindu extremists stopped Muslim worshippers from offering Friday prayers in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun and threatened them while police personnel watched. In Shimla, a far-right Hindu group held a press conference claiming that three mosques were built on government land and demanded that the administration take immediate action against the structures. Meanwhile, West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari celebrated three men accused of assaulting Muslim vendors for selling non-vegetarian food.
Resistance & Organizing
(Suhail.K.U/ Maktoob)
JMI students gather to mark six years since police violence on anti-CAA protesters
More than 500 students gathered inside the Jamia Millia Islamia university to commemorate the anniversary of the December 15, 2019 violence, when police and paramilitary forces entered Jamia’s campus, fired tear gas, beat students and vandalised property. The crackdown left several students grievously injured, with at least one losing his eyesight permanently. Students marked December 15 as a “Resistance Day,” emphasising that the memory of the violence continues to shape political consciousness on campus.
Defender of the Week
This week, we’re spotlighting Sabiha Khanam, the mother of political prisoner Umar Khalid. In the five years since his arrest and detention under India’s draconian anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Khanam and her husband, Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, have never stopped raising awareness about the plight of their son – or any of the sons and daughters jailed by the Modi regime for calling for a better India.
Voices from the Ground
“This act was an assault on this woman’s dignity, autonomy, and identity. When a public official forcibly pulls down a woman’s hijab, it sends a message to the general public that this behavior is acceptable. No one has the right to police a woman’s faith or clothing. Such actions deepen fear, normalize discrimination, and erode the very foundations of equality and freedom of religion. This violation demands unequivocal condemnation and accountability. Urgent steps must be taken to ensure that no woman is subjected to such degrading treatment.”
– Aakar Patel, Chair of Board at Amnesty International India
IAMC in Action
- IAMC released a statement condemning Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s hate crime against a niqabi Muslim doctor. You can read the statement here.
- IAMC partnered with a number of our partners in Atlanta to host “Indians and South Asian Americans: Unite Against Racism”, a panel event discussing the far right forces threatening our diaspora.
- We’re excited to announce the launch of our new podcast, Beyond the Taj, which explores Indian Muslim culture, history, and current affairs. Our first episode features historian Ram Puniyani, who speaks on Indian identity, secularism, and the far-right assault on pluralism. Watch or stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
