Religious tensions in India have now reached a new and troubling level, with a minority community member serving in the police force becoming the target of an attack. The incident occurred at Rani Kamalapati Railway Station in Bhopal, formerly known as Habibganj Station, where a uniformed officer of the Railway Protection Force was assaulted.

According to police sources quoted by India's Dainik Bhaskar newspaper, three young men attacked the officer, tearing his uniform and subjecting him to abusive and derogatory religious slurs. The assaulted officer has been identified as Head Constable Nazar Daulat Khan. The incident reportedly took place in the early hours of Saturday night, around 2:00 AM. Following the attack, one of the assailants has been arrested, while the other two remain at large. Police sources indicated that the attackers were intoxicated at the time of the assault.

Local authorities revealed that Head Constable Khan and his team were at the station premises to ensure shops and restaurants were closed for the night. During their routine inspection, Khan noticed a group of young men drinking alcohol inside a stationary vehicle. When he instructed them to leave, an argument ensued, escalating rapidly into violence.

A video of the incident surfaced on Indian social media platforms on Sunday, quickly drawing attention. The footage, which was also reviewed by the police, shows the young men not only physically attacking Khan but also making offensive remarks about his religion.

When Nazar Daulat's fellow constables, identified as Sandeep and Kamal Raghuvanshi, tried to intervene and protect him, one of the attackers reportedly told them, "You are Hindu brothers, you should step aside." The attacker further stated, "Hindu brothers are intelligent, but this man is giving them lectures," explicitly referring to Khan's religious identity.

The video footage captured by bystanders clearly shows the intoxicated assailants forcefully opening the door of a police jeep and assaulting the constable inside the vehicle. Sub-Inspector Ramdayal, cited by Dainik Bhaskar, confirmed that a formal case has been registered against the three accused individuals. Among them, one suspect, Jitendra Yadav, has been apprehended, while efforts are ongoing to arrest his two accomplices.

This attack against a uniformed police officer based explicitly on religious identity is alarming and, in recent times, perhaps unprecedented. While incidents of violence targeting the Muslim community in India have been increasing—particularly since the holy month of Ramadan, with attacks on religious sites, schools, businesses, and individuals—this marks a new development where even those in official roles are no longer immune.

Several attacks on Muslims in various parts of India over the past few months have resulted in injuries, destruction of property, and fatalities. However, this instance, where a law enforcement official was selectively targeted due to his faith, underscores a deepening religious divide and raises serious concerns about the safety and dignity of minority communities, even within state institutions.