By ZIYA US SALAM

The February 24, 2020 , photograph of Mohammed zubair being beaten by a mob that indulged in violence against those protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in North East Delhi. Photo: DANISH SIDDIQUI/REUTERS

His life was saved when some passerby heard him groaning in agony and rushed him to Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital. The doctors managed to save his life; Zubair, though, needs more than a helping hand to recover fully and earn a dignified living for his young family. A year after he was the victim of an unprovoked attack, he is still to come to terms with the reality. “I had hurt nobody. I was coming back from ijtema (religious gathering). They [the men who attacked] did not know me. They hit me because of my identity.” On the fateful day, Zubair wore a salwar-kameez and a skull cap, apparel that proved a red rag to the rampaging mob.

This story first appeared on frontline.thehindu.com