AhlulBayt News Agency: A Muslim teenager is in critical condition in Gujarat, India, after his family accused police of abducting, torturing, and sexually abusing him over a nine-day period.
Relatives of 17-year-old Aryan Makhiala, the sole provider for his grandparents and two sisters after the death of his parents, said he was taken by plainclothes officers on August 19 in Botad district and held without being presented before a magistrate.
When Aryan was finally transferred to a hospital in Ahmedabad, doctors found he had multiple injuries, kidney failure, and required dialysis. He remains unconscious and in critical condition.
Botad police denied arresting Aryan. A district official, speaking anonymously to Maktoob media, dismissed the family’s allegations as false.
The family said police initially claimed Aryan had been bitten by a snake inside the station, but his bruised and swollen body indicated prolonged torture.
Relatives searched for Aryan for two days after he disappeared from a local fair before discovering he was in police custody.
His uncle, Sohilbhai, told reporters that Aryan was beaten daily for nine days, and his grandfather—who tried to intervene—was also detained and beaten for six days.
The family also accused police of raiding their home and seizing 50,000 rupees saved by Aryan’s sisters from government stipends.
The case gained public attention after a video of Aryan’s grandparents and sister accusing police of torture went viral, sparking outrage across Gujarat.
The Minority Coordination Committee (MCC), a rights group based in Ahmedabad, called for the suspension of the officers involved, a criminal investigation, and the preservation of CCTV footage.
MCC convenor Mujahid Nafees told 5Pillars that justice must be equal for all and that impunity must end. He emphasized the importance of securing CCTV evidence.
Pattern of abuse
Botad district has a history of custodial abuse. In 2023, Muslim youth Kalu Padharshi died after alleged police beatings; three officers were later jailed.
India has faced ongoing criticism for custodial deaths. The National Human Rights Commission has documented thousands of cases, while Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have highlighted the disproportionate targeting of Muslims under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Although India signed the UN Convention Against Torture, it has never ratified it—allowing police forces to operate with impunity, according to rights advocates.
The family said they tried to file a sexual abuse complaint with the Juvenile Justice Board, but it was rejected 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.”
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