A 25-year-old Muslim man, Maqsood Alam, was brutally assaulted by a mob in Balipur, Pratapgarh district, Uttar Pradesh, on Monday after he was found meeting a Hindu woman at a hotel. The woman, who allegedly knew Alam from a previous encounter at a Jan Seva Kendra, later filed a complaint accusing him of rape and blackmail. However, before any legal process could begin, a violent mob—reportedly including her family members—took the law into its own hands.
Alam was chased from the hotel to the main road, where he was mercilessly beaten with sticks and fists as bystanders watched and recorded videos. “He was crying for help, but no one intervened,” said local shopkeeper Salim Ansari. “People hurled religious slurs and called him a terrorist.”
Alam’s father, Haji Shafiq Alam, who arrived at the scene, described finding his son covered in blood while the attack continued. “We begged them to stop. No one listened. If a crime was committed, let the police handle it—not mobs,” he said.
Eventually, police intervened and transported Maqsood to the district hospital. Doctors said he suffered serious injuries and remains under observation.
Following the incident, the woman filed charges of rape, extortion, and criminal intimidation against Alam. She claimed he recorded intimate moments and demanded ₹10 lakh, having already extracted ₹2.5 lakh. However, no FIR has been filed against those who assaulted him. Police said they are reviewing CCTV footage but claim no formal complaint has been received from Alam’s side.
The attack has drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups, legal experts, and Muslim leaders, who see it as part of a disturbing pattern of vigilante justice fueled by Islamophobia and a discredited “Love Jihad” narrative propagated by right-wing groups.
“This is not justice—it’s mob lynching,” said lawyer Raza Hashmi. “Even if allegations exist, the law, not the mob, must decide guilt.” Cleric Maulana Niyazuddin questioned the timing of the rape accusation, suggesting it may have been made to justify the violence. “Why was she meeting him if he was threatening her? And why wasn’t a complaint filed earlier?” he asked.
The incident is reminiscent of similar attacks across Uttar Pradesh where Muslim men have been assaulted for alleged relationships with Hindu women. In many cases, communal narratives and hate campaigns have fueled such violence, often without any legal accountability for the attackers.
Legal scholar Dr. Faizan Mustafa warned that the rule of law is eroding. “Mob justice is becoming normalized, especially against Muslims,” he said. “This is not an isolated case—it reflects a deeper systemic failure.”
Adding to concerns, the case has spotlighted unregulated operations of small hotels in the area, some of which reportedly rent rooms to couples for short durations. Despite reports of illegal activity and even recent deaths, enforcement remains weak.
Muslim organisations, including the All India Muslim Personal Law Board and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, have condemned the incident and demanded a full, impartial investigation—both into the assault and the rape allegation.
“This is not just about Maqsood Alam,” said Prof Farhat Ali. “It’s about what kind of country we’re becoming—where cows get more protection than citizens.”
As outrage grows on social media and among civil society, critics point to a deafening silence from political leaders. “When a Muslim is lynched, why do ministers stay silent?” asked Ali.
For now, Maqsood Alam lies in a hospital bed, fighting for his life. His father’s plea is simple: “Let justice be equal. Let the courts decide—not mobs.”
