'What If I Am Muslim?': Hindu Bengali Theatre Artist Assaulted By Hindutva Men
Bengali theatre artist Subhankar Dassharma alleges assault by Hindutva men near Kolkata over mistaken identity.
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Bengali theatre artist Subhankar Dassharma has alleged that he was assaulted by a group of men near Shyamnagar railway station in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, approximately 35 kilometres from Kolkata. The incident reportedly occurred around midnight on 28 July 2026, as Dassharma was returning home after a theatre performance. He stated that the men targeted him based on his attire, which included a black kurta and pyjamas.
As reported by Maktoob Media, Dassharma recounted that four men stopped him and questioned his religious identity, asking whether he was a Muslim. He responded by asserting his right not to disclose his religion, stating, "What if I am a Muslim?" and emphasising that he was under no obligation to answer such questions in a free and sovereign country.
According to Dassharma, the men then began to drag and assault him, repeatedly demanding to know his religion. He stated that he told them he was a Muslim, after which the attackers allegedly beat him severely, striking his eyes, head, ears, and chest, and chanting "Jai Shri Ram" during the assault. He reported that his black kurta was torn and that he briefly lost consciousness as a result of the attack as details emerged.
Dassharma stated that after regaining consciousness, he managed to return home but experienced severe physical pain and psychological trauma for several days. He initially consulted doctors over the phone and took pain medication, but later sought medical treatment when his condition did not improve. On 2 August, he visited the emergency department of B.N. Bose Sub-Divisional Hospital, where doctors reportedly diagnosed him with serious injuries to his eye, ear, and ribs, and referred him to specialists in ophthalmology, orthopaedics, and ENT departments.
Medical professionals subsequently diagnosed Dassharma with an eye injury and a perforated eardrum. He shared a photograph showing his left eye swollen shut and visible bruising on the left side of his face, which he said documented the injuries sustained in the alleged assault following reports.
"I have overcome my fear. Once fear is gone, it no longer has any hold over you," Dassharma wrote, explaining his decision to speak publicly about the incident after initially remaining silent due to safety concerns.
Dassharma explained that he delayed making the incident public because he was frightened and hoped to resolve the matter locally, as he needed to continue living in the area. He informed only a few close friends and requested that they not publicise the incident. However, he decided to speak out after observing abusive comments directed at his sister on social media coverage revealed.
Theatre activist Joyraj Bhattacharya responded to the alleged assault by referencing Martin Niemöller's poem "First They Came" and criticising what he described as silence within sections of the theatre community. Bhattacharya noted that Dassharma had previously spoken out against attacks on other theatre activists and stated that he would stage a protest outside the Academy of Fine Arts in Kolkata, although he later postponed the protest after discussions with veteran theatre director Seema Mukhopadhyay analysis showed.
Bhattacharya also commented on the broader context, stating that Dassharma had been assaulted during both the Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party administrations. He suggested that some theatre practitioners seek to signal safety through associations with political figures rather than standing in solidarity with victims of violence at the end.
"Shubhankar has been beaten. Brutally beaten. He was assaulted during the Trinamool's rule. He has now been assaulted again under the BJP's rule," Bhattacharya wrote, highlighting the recurrence of such incidents across different political administrations.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.