New Delhi: Well-known YouTuber and television panelist Saleem Wastik was in critical condition after a brutal knife attack in Ghaziabad’s Ashok Vihar Colony, under Loni police station, on Friday.
In a planned attack, two men on a motorcycle pulled up outside Wastik’s home, walked in and without any warning, stabbed him several times in the neck and stomach. Then they took off as swiftly as they had arrived.
Since both went in wearing helmets, their faces couldn’t be seen.
Wastik, an ex-Muslim, runs a YouTube channel which has 179 videos and 28.5K subscribers.
Many ex-Muslims don’t divulge that they have renounced Islam, but Wastik was known for expressing strong views on social and religious issues in public, which stirred heated debates online.
Wastik, who was first taken to a nearby hospital, was subsequently referred to GTB Hospital in Delhi as his condition turned critical.
Several outfits and individuals linked the murderous attack on Wastik to his being an ex-Muslim who had views that were critical of Islam.
However, police have not jumped to any conclusion yet, as they scan CCTV footage and probe details of the attack.
Last October, Wastik had spoken on another ex-Muslim Sahil, who returned to Islam to fulfil his mother’s last wishes and bury her.
Sahil, who emerged as one of the most prominent activists of the Ex-Muslim movement globally over the last five years, posted about the attack on Wastik on his YouTube channel, which has almost 6 lakh subscribers.
“It was a brutal attack. There were reports that he succumbed to his injuries, but this isn’t true,” Sahil said in the video, adding that his condition was critical.
“Very distressed from hearing about the brutal attack on Saleem Wastik. He was one of my biggest inspirations in speaking about the truth of my religious tradition that was obscured by Maulvis, in confronting the radicals within my community head on. Pray that he makes it alive,” posted activist Puneet Sahani on X.
Millions of people across the globe have switched or altogether left their religions, according to Pew Research. However, leaving Islam in a Muslim nation or a country with a sizeable population, like India, comes at a great risk.
That’s because Islam, unlike other religions, doesn’t permit apostasy, the act of leaving one’s faith. In some countries, apostasy is punishable by death.
There are claims on social media that a person operating an Instagram account under the handle “official_m3hdi_” carried out the attack on Saleem. The claims stem from messages posted in an exclusive group called “Muslim Army”, where the user allegedly wrote, “Saleem ex-Muslim ko hospital pohocha diya. Video chaahiye full?”
India Today Digital verified that an account with this handle exists. However, it could not independently verify the authenticity of the group or the message allegedly posted there, in which a video of the attack was allegedly posted.
Saleem Wastik, in October, discussed ex-Muslim Sahil, who returned to Islam to fulfil his mother’s last wishes and bury her.
