India’s Gujarat: Muslim Teen in Critical Condition after Police Abduction, Torture

IQNA – A 17-year-old Muslim boy is fighting for his life in India's Gujarat state after his family accused plainclothes police officers of abducting, torturing, and sexually abusing him during a nine-day detention.

Relatives of 17-year-old Aryan Makhiala, who is the sole breadwinner for his grandparents and two sisters following the death of his parents, said he was taken by plainclothes officers on August 19 in the district of Botad. They allege he was held inside a police station without being presented before a magistrate.

By the time he was transferred to a hospital in Ahmedabad, doctors confirmed he had multiple injuries, kidney failure and required dialysis. He remains unconscious and in a critical state.

Botad police have denied arresting Makhiala. A district officer, speaking anonymously, dismissed the allegations as false, according to Maktoob media.

The family say officers initially claimed Aryan had been bitten by a snake inside the police station, but the family insisted that his swollen and bruised body proves he was subjected to sustained torture.

Relatives said they searched for Aryan for two days after he went missing from a local fair before discovering he was in police custody.

His uncle, Sohilbhai, told reporters: “He was beaten every day for nine days. My father, who tried to help him, was also detained and beaten for six days.”

The family also accuse police of raiding their home and seizing 50,000 rupees (£460) saved by Aryan’s sisters from small government stipends.

The case came to public attention after a video of Aryan’s grandparents and sister circulated online accusing police of torture, which sparked outrage across Gujarat.

The Minority Coordination Committee (MCC), a rights organization based in Ahmedabad, has called for the suspension of the officers involved, the registration of a criminal case, and the preservation of CCTV footage.

The MCC’s convenor Mujahid Nafees told 5Pillars: “Justice treats everyone equally. The guilty police personnel should be punished and this culture of impunity must end.

“The police will deny everything, which is why CCTV footage must be preserved.”

Pattern of abuse

The district of Botad has previously witnessed custodial abuse. In 2023, a Muslim youth named Kalu Padharshi died after being moved between hospitals following alleged police beatings. Three officers were later jailed.

India more broadly has faced persistent criticism for custodial deaths. The National Human Rights Commission has documented thousands of such cases, while Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have highlighted the disproportionate targeting of Muslims and other minorities under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule.

Despite signing the UN Convention Against Torture, India has never ratified it — something campaigners say enables police forces to act with impunity.

The family say they attempted to file a sexual abuse complaint with the Juvenile Justice Board, but officials rejected it on the grounds that Aryan was not a minor.

Aryan’s uncle said: “Let the police keep the money, we don’t want it back. We only want justice and for our child to survive.”

5pillarsuk.com