Akhlad's death (1993–2022): Muslim journalists suffering from communal hatred

Journalist Akhlad Khan, who worked as a stringer for The Times of India, passed away on Monday, April 11, due to a heart attack in Moradabad. Akhlad was only 28 years old.

Khan has extensively covered hate speech crimes in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and other states and closely monitored cases related to the 2020 North-East Delhi communal violence. If you take a look at his Twitter timeline, you will find that most of his tweets focused on giving information about communal violence and hate crimes.

Akhlad used to say, "I am doing it for justice, brother".

I have spoken to Akhlad several times, mostly on the news of hate crime and also for updates on the case against North-East Delhi violence accused Shahrukh Pathan who was a relative of Akhlad.

My last telephone conversation with him was in the last week of January this year, when he called for advice just before joining the Times of India and international publication On the Ground News as a stringer.

During our conversation, Akhlad has repeatedly said that journalism, tracking hate crimes and communal violence, was not just a job for him. Akhlad used to say, "I am doing it for justice, brother".

Meghnad Bose, my colleague at The Quint, also recalls that Akhlad often sent stories and inputs on hate crimes to various publications without any fees.

Recalling Kusum Arora, a journalist from Punjab, says that Akhlad helped a lot at the time of Corona. He said, "Similarly, Akhlad replied to one of my tweets and admitted my friend's cousin to the hospital in Delhi."

Although Akhlad used to cover the news of hate crime in western UP, but if such a case came in other states also, then Akhlad would reach there immediately so that the voice of every victim could be conveyed to the people.

Journalists who worked with Akhlad believe that the stress of work has affected Akhlad's health.

Difficult for Muslim journalists as they have to report on hatred being spread against Muslims

Akhlad was one of the bravest, most idealistic and passionate journalists. His death warrants attention to the current condition of Muslim journalists in India, especially those keeping an eye on communalism.

His views were expressed by Tariq Anwar, a Newsclick journalist who covers hate crime news. After the news of Akhlad's death, Tariq Anwar wrote on his Facebook, "This atmosphere of hatred and helplessness weighs heavily on us. It gives us stress, creates anxiety."

He further writes, I too had a major heart attack last year while reporting to the Rohingya refugee camp near Kalindikunj in south-east Delhi. This camp was set on fire on June 13, 2021. We try our best not to let these news affect us deeply but still we fail to do so and get mentally tortured."

How difficult it is for Muslim journalists because they have to report on the hatred being spread against Muslims. When you hear venomous hate speech on how Muslims should be killed or how Muslim women should be raped, you have to watch all these news without any emotion.

Whereas you know that all this poison is focused on you and can have real life consequences for your family and community.

Just imagine what Sulli Deals, Bulli Bai, and many more hate messages and rape threats must have gone through to the victim and what goes on in her mind after she goes through this to report on the case of Hijabi girls in Karnataka ?

But Akhlad Khan was gone, very quickly. Akhlad got caught in the poison spreading in the society. This poison is increasing with each passing day. Akhlad passed away before the justice he was hoping for. May he get that peace and justice which he did not get in this world. RIP Akhlad.