Maharashtra, May 3 -- On April 23, despite their best efforts to avoid unwanted Hindutva attention, truck drivers Mohammed Nadaf Nisar Qureshi and Alwin were brutally beaten by over 20 men near Maharashtra's Yavatmal district.

Qureshi and Alwin were transporting fruits from Kerala to Madhya Pradesh. "They chased our truck for more than 20-30 km. In the beginning, they were five or six, but by the time they overtook and stopped us, their number had swelled to around 20," Alwin told The Wire.

"I saw they were armed. I was so scared to stop that I decided to keep driving," he added.

He escaped with minor injuries, but Qureshi's skull sustained grave injuries, leaving him battling for life at a hospital in Nanded district.

"Because of our...