In March 2015, headmaster of the Talpukur Ara High Madrasa in Kolkata, India, Kazi Masum Akhtar, was assaulted. He was accused of “hurting religious sentiments”; a “mob” of “local [Islamic] fundamentalists” attacked him “in front of the police.” To the head, he sustained a “2.5-inch deep wound,” and he was hospitalized for days recovering from his injuries.

“They accused me of trying to be like Salman Rushdie and Taslima Nasrin. But this is not true … They said I insulted religion when I said madrasas should be destroyed. But I did not.” - Kazi Masum Akhtar

The accusations leveled against him stemmed from two sources. The assailants had been angered by an article he had recently written in which he apparently made critical remarks about madrasas. He claims the content of his statements in this article was misinterpreted and misrepresented. Second, he had apparently had his students sing the Indian national anthem—which was interpreted by the fundamentalists as an act hostile to Islam.

“They labeled baseless charges against me. I am a devout Muslim and offer namaaz every day. My son studies in an English-medium school but reads the Qur'an as well. At my home, you will find the Qur'an, the Vedas and books by Ramakrishna.” - Kazi Masum Akhtar