Three held after group attacks reading session on Malala’s memoir in Ahmedabad

A violent altercation erupted during a reading session of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai's memoir, "I Am Malala," in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on Thursday evening, August 27, 2026. Police reported that a group of approximately 20 individuals, including women, had gathered at Vastrapur Garden to engage in the reading when they were confronted by an armed group of 18 to 20 people claiming to be members of the right-wing organizations, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

The confrontation escalated when the readers, who were leaving the garden after the session, were approached by the armed group. They angrily demanded to know why they had read Yousufzai's memoir and an altercation ensued, leading to a scuffle. Two people were injured; the attackers were armed with sticks, according to police.

An FIR has been registered against the accused, and two known to the victims have already been arrested. Six individuals have been identified, and three have been arrested in connection with the attack. The attackers claimed affiliation with Bajrang Dal and VHP.

This incident follows a recent instance where a private school in Ahmedabad was compelled to remove books by Yousafzai and Holocaust survivor Anne Frank from its mandatory reading list due to protests from right-wing groups.