A 35-year-old Muslim man was allegedly shot dead in North East Delhi’s Nand Nagri area on Tuesday evening after he rushed to rescue his teenage son from a group that was reportedly assaulting him over his religious identity.
The victim, Mohammed Umardeen, was declared dead on arrival at Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital.
“Papa, Save Me”: Son’s Distress Call
According to family members, Umardeen was having tea at home with his wife, mother and daughters when he received a panicked call from his 15-year-old son, Tehjeem.
Tehjeem allegedly told his father that he had been surrounded and beaten by a group of boys.
“Unn logon ne usse rokha aur kahan, ‘Yeh Musalmaan hai, isse maro.’ Mere bacche ko itna maara ki uska sir fhaad diya (“They stopped him and said, ‘He is a Muslim, beat him.’ They assaulted my child so brutally that his head was split open.),” his mother said, alleging that the attackers targeted him because he was Muslim.
A father was shot dead while trying to save his son in Delhi's Nand Nagri area. The murder took place near Nand Nagri B1 Government School. Watch the report.
— Siraj Noorani (@sirajnoorani) February 19, 2026
A 15-year-old boy was allegedly assaulted on Tuesday evening in New Delhi’s Nand Nagri area, triggering a chain of
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She added, “Woh bola, Papa, mujhe bachao. Mujhe bahut maar rahein hai, Sonu aur uska bhai Sardar.’ (“He told me, ‘Papa, save me. They are beating me badly …Sonu and his brother Sardar.’”)
Father Confronts Accused, Shot Dead
Family members said Umardeen immediately rushed to the spot and confronted the accused boys, who allegedly went inside their house and began abusing him.
“Andar se gandi gandi gaaliyaan bakne lage, dono bhai (“From inside, both brothers started hurling filthy abuses.),” his wife recalled.
During the confrontation, one of the accused allegedly came out with a gun and fired at Umardeen. The bullet hit him in the chest.
His wife rushed him to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, but doctors declared him dead on arrival.
“Mere bacho se unka saaya cheen liya (“They have taken away the shadow of their father from my children.),” she said in grief.
Family and Residents Demand Arrest
The victim’s elderly mother questioned the lack of safety.
“Jiska mara, uska dil dukhtha hai. Na police ka jaatha hai, na kisi janta ka. Chothe bache hai uske. Kya hoga unka? (The one who has lost someone feels the pain. Neither the police nor the public truly bears it. He has small children….what will happen to them?)”
On Wednesday, angry residents, including members of different communities, blocked the GTB roundabout demanding the immediate arrest of the accused, identified as Sonu and Sardar. The family initially refused to take the body for burial until police assured them that teams had been formed to arrest the suspects.
After police intervention and assurances, Umardeen was laid to rest.
Local residents say fights and criminal incidents are frequent in the area and have raised concerns about inadequate police patrols.
Police have registered a murder case and launched a search for the accused. A forensic investigation is also underway.
