IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (May 31, 2025)

This Week at a Glance 

In Uttar Pradesh, over 180 Muslim families face eviction and a 185-year-old mosque was demolished, while in Assam, Indian forces allegedly pushed 14 Bengali-speaking Muslims into Bangladesh, raising fears of mass illegal deportations. Communal violence in Karnataka left one Muslim man dead and another critically injured. The Supreme Court refused to stop Rohingya deportations despite eyewitness accounts of refugees being dumped at sea. This week also saw a surge in anti-Muslim hate crimes across India, from a fatal stabbing in Haryana to forced shop closures, student suspensions, and looming evictions in New Delhi’s Okhla. 

Top Stories

Muslim Families Face Eviction, Historic Mosque Demolished in Uttar Pradesh

Over 180 Muslim families in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, face eviction after forest officials served notices alleging illegal settlement on government land. Part of the 185-year-old Noori Masjid was also demolished, despite the mosque dating back to 1839.

Assam Muslims Allegedly Forced Into Bangladesh by Indian Security Officials

Fourteen Bengali-speaking Muslims from Assam—declared “foreigners” by controversial tribunals—were allegedly beaten and pushed across the border into Bangladesh by India’s Border Security Force. Eyewitnesses and video evidence suggest the individuals were forcibly expelled despite ongoing court cases and legal residence. The incident has intensified fears of a larger campaign of illegal deportations targeting Muslims in the northeastern parts of India.

Muslim Man Killed and Another Critically Injured in Communal Attack in Karnataka

In Dakshina Kannada’s Bantwal taluk, two Muslim men were brutally attacked by unidentified assailants with swords, leaving 42-year-old Imtiyaz dead and Abdul Rahim critically injured. The assault follows a string of communal violence in the region, heightening fears of targeted attacks amid rising tensions.

Supreme Court Declines to Halt Rohingya Deportations Despite Eyewitness Accounts

The Supreme Court refused to intervene after 40 Rohingya refugees were allegedly forced into the sea near the Myanmar border by Indian authorities, citing lack of “material evidence” despite survivor testimony and UN condemnation. With at least 700 more Rohingyas facing detention and deportation, advocates warn that returning them to Myanmar is a potential death sentence.

Hate crimes and discrimination in India

This week, India witnessed another week of brutal anti-Muslim incidents. In Haryana’s Panipat, 24-year-old Firdaus Alam was fatally stabbed after being taunted for wearing a skullcap. In Ghaziabad, a Muslim man was arrested and his shop vandalised after news of his interfaith marriage surfaced, despite legal protections. In Tamil Nadu, three Muslim students were suspended just before final exams over alleged “Free Palestine” and “Jai Bhim” graffiti, in what students call targeted harassment. In Delhi’s Okhla, eviction notices have left hundreds of Muslim families fearing displacement from homes they’ve lived in for decades. 

Resistance & Organizing

Muslim Journalist Sarah Aziz Wins British Press Award for Reporting on Rohingya Abuse

Sarah Aziz, a 23-year-old Muslim journalist from Kolkata and current Columbia University student, has won second prize for “Young Journalist of the Year” at the UK’s prestigious Press Awards. Recognized for her investigative reporting on Rohingya refugees and state violence in India, Aziz’s work has been published in The Guardian, The Telegraph, and Voice of America.

AMU Students Visit Aligarh Mob Assault Victims, Offer Legal Support

Members of the Muslim Students Federation at Aligarh Muslim University visited victims of a Hindu extremist mob assault in Aligarh, offering solidarity and coordinating legal aid through a local Muslim lawmaker. 

Bombay High Court Frees Muslim Student Jailed for Instagram Post 

The Bombay High Court ordered the immediate release of a 19-year-old Muslim student arrested and rusticated for resharing an Instagram post critical of India’s recent military operation, calling her treatment “absolutely shocking.” 

Defender of the Week

This week, we spotlight Mohak Mangal, a YouTuber and independent journalist who publicly challenged Asian News International (ANI), a propaganda news agency with ties to the ruling BJP. In a now-viral video, Mohak alleged that ANI weaponized YouTube’s copyright system to demand around $46,000  in exchange for not striking his channel—an accusation that many fellow creators say reflects broader intimidation tactics against critical voices.

Voices from the Ground 

“Padma Bhushan awarded to Sadhvi Ritambara, perhaps the most strident anti-Muslim female voice in India in run up to Babri demolition- compared Muslims to lemon in milk, cluster of flies. India hangs its head in shame.”

– Mahua Moitra, an opposition leader, on India’s third-highest civilian award being conferred to Sadhvi Ritambara, a Hindu extremist.

IAMC in Action

• IAMC has officially opened applications for the Indian American Youth Council (IAMYC), a new platform for young leaders who are passionate about minority rights, the reclaiming of Indian Muslim pride, and the fight against Hindu supremacist ideology in India and globally. We’re starting off with open applications for Chair and Vice Chair positions in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Texas, and New York. IAMYC is open to college students and young professionals – apply now here, and email youthcouncil@iamc.com with any questions. 
• We released a joint statement calling on the Indian government and judiciary to immediately drop all charges against Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad.
• Ajit Sahi, Advocacy Director at IAMC, met with officials at the U.S. State Department to brief them on the ongoing persecution of religious minorities in India.
• We’re continuing to catalogue daily hate crimes against Muslims and other minorities in India on our social media. Follow us on X and Instagram to keep up to date on the situation. 
• Watch Associate Media Director Safa Ahmed’s talk on Hindutva in Tech.

What to Watch Next Week

• IAMC is co-sponsoring an in-person event at Roosevelt University’s Schaumburg campus, featuring Rutgers University professor Audrey Truschke, Anantanand Rambachan, Professor Emeritus of Religion at Saint Olaf College, and R. David Coolidge, Research Faculty at Bayan Islamic Graduate School. The discussion will explore how India’s past continues to shape its present and future. Registration is required. More details here.
• Indian Supreme Court lawyer and renowned human rights defender Prashant Bhushan will deliver a keynote address on “The State of Democracy in India” at an event hosted by IAMC New Jersey on June 4, 2025, at Royal Albert’s Palace, NJ. More details available here
• Amnesty International is holding its US Board of Directors Election through May 30. Voting is a way to make your voice heard in the shaping of Amnesty’s US activities. Get to know the candidates here.
• IAMC’s newest multimedia project, the Indian Muslim Story, is an exploration of Indian Muslim heritage, identity, and current issues. We release new articles each week, so be sure to follow us on Instagram for accompanying graphics and videos.