By The Quint
A reading session featuring Malala Yousafzai’s memoir in Ahmedabad’s Vastrapur Garden was disrupted on 27 August 2026 when a group of individuals, identifying as Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad members, confronted and attacked participants. The incident resulted in injuries to at least two people, and police subsequently arrested three suspects. The event was organised by a student and youth collective, and an FIR was registered under sections related to rioting and unlawful assembly.
According to The Hindu, the attackers arrived armed with sticks and questioned the group’s choice to read Malala Yousafzai’s memoir, “I Am Malala.” The confrontation escalated into a scuffle as the readers were leaving, resulting in two injuries. Police Inspector G.M. Chaudhary confirmed that three individuals had been arrested and that six others had been identified in connection with the attack.
As reported by Deccan Herald, the reading event was organised through social media and attended by students and youth. The attackers, described as a mob wearing saffron scarves, arrived wielding wooden sticks and began questioning and assaulting participants over their reading of Malala’s book. The complainant, Jay Thakkar, stated that several individuals were beaten and threatened, and the injured were taken to Sola Civil Hospital after police intervention.
As highlighted by The Indian Express, the reading session included works by Malala Yousafzai, Anne Frank, Bhagat Singh, and Che Guevara. The Student and Youth Collective, which organised the event, reported that around 30 people armed with iron rods and sticks attacked the group, injuring at least six participants. The collective demanded that an FIR be registered and stated that the police were in the process of accepting their complaint on the evening of the incident.
Police confirmed that the attackers claimed affiliation with Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad as details emerged. The FIR was registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for rioting, unlawful assembly, and causing physical pain. The incident followed recent protests that led a private school in Ahmedabad to remove books by Malala Yousafzai and Anne Frank from its reading list after objections from right-wing groups.
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