Elderly Imam brutally beaten, labeled ‘Pakistani’ on train in India’s Gujarat"

An elderly mosque Imam was mercilessly beaten by a group of men on a train in India’s Gujarat, with the attackers falsely labeling him a Pakistani. The victim was reportedly reciting the Holy Quran when the assailants began harassing and torturing him.

A video of the incident has gone viral online, showing the elderly man being assaulted and humiliated. According to Indian media reports, the victim was traveling to collect donations for his madrasah in Gangapur city, Rajasthan. He serves as the director of the institution and was on his way to Ankleshwar to seek funds for its operations.

The attackers accused the Imam of harassing a girl; however, railway authorities have not confirmed these allegations.

The victim’s family told the media that as soon as he boarded the train, a group of people began hurling abuses and anti-Muslim slurs at him. They continued provoking him with loud taunts, attempting to get his attention.

During the ordeal, a woman reportedly called the Maulana a "Pakistani," which further escalated the situation. The train ticket examiner (TTE) then summoned him near the door, where two men and a woman repeatedly slapped him in the face.

Authorities have yet to take action against the assailants, sparking outrage over rising hate crimes against Muslims in India.