KEY POINTS
- Extortion email demands ₹10 million, warns of assassination
- Surge in Hindu extremists’ hate campaigns after Pahalgam incident raises
NEW DELHI: Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami has received death threats and an extortion demand amid an alarming surge in anti-Muslim hate campaigns across India after the deadly Pahalgam incident in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
Shami received the death threat via email, sparking serious security concerns.
The sender, identified as Rajput Sundar, reportedly demanded ₹10 million in extortion, warning that Shami would be killed if the amount was not paid, Indian media reported on Tuesday.
The incident came to light when Shami’s brother, Haseeb Ahmed, lodged a formal complaint at the local police station in their hometown of Amroha, Uttar Pradesh.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the threat was delivered through email, and police have since launched an investigation.
Mohammed Shami is currently representing Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season.
He remains one of India’s leading pacers, having played a vital role in several international tournaments, including the ICC Champions Trophy, where he claimed nine wickets in five matches, including a five-wicket haul on debut against Bangladesh.
This is not the first instance of a prominent Indian cricketer receiving threats. Earlier, India’s head coach and former cricketer Gautam Gambhir was also targeted via email.
According to Delhi Police, Gambhir’s security was enhanced after the threat, which was reportedly linked to India’s controversial false flag operation in Pahalgam, Kashmir.
Pahalgam incident and fallout
The threats against Shami and Gambhir come amidst heightened communal tensions following a deadly attack in the Pahalgam area of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
On 22 April, unidentified assailants opened fire on a tourist convoy, killing 26 people. Without providing credible evidence, the Indian government swiftly blamed Pakistan for the attack.
Pakistan strongly condemned the incident and categorically rejected India’s accusations.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for an independent, neutral and transparent international investigation, stressing that baseless blame games would only escalate tensions in the region.
Following the attack, India’s Cabinet Committee on Security approved retaliatory measures, including the closure of the Wagah-Attari border crossing and the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty — moves that Pakistan labelled as provocative and unlawful.
Islamabad warned that any attempt by India to stop or divert Indus River waters would be treated as an “act of war”.
Rise in anti-Muslim hate campaigns
Since the Pahalgam incident, a surge in anti-Muslim hate campaigns and violence has been reported across several Indian states.
Human rights groups and media outlets have documented at least 21 incidents of physical attacks, threats, and hate speech targeting Muslims since 22 April.
The Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) has reported that Muslim traders and workers in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana have become specific targets of violence by Hindu extremist groups.
Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane publicly called for an economic boycott of Muslims, urging citizens to “buy only from Hindus.”
In a particularly disturbing case in Agra, a Muslim man was murdered, with the attacker claiming it was an act of “revenge” for the Pahalgam attack.
Another incident in Uttar Pradesh saw the killing of a Muslim restaurant employee, where the assailants cited a chilling motive: “2,600 deaths in return for 26”.
Reports also suggest that Muslim students, especially those from Kashmir, are being labelled as “terrorists” and are facing discrimination in educational institutions across India.
Many students living in hostels have reported threats and physical assaults, while harassment of Muslim women has also seen a marked rise.
