A man from Hyderabad was stabbed multiple times in a shopping mall in the United States, leading to critical injuries. Syed Sohailuddin, aged 37, who had been operating a kiosk in the mall for over two years, was attacked by a man at Valley Fair Mall in West Valley City, Utah. The assailant, identified as Peter Michael Larsen, allegedly questioned Sohailuddin about his Muslim faith before stabbing him more than 15 times.
Some bystanders intervened and disarmed the attacker before the police arrived at the scene. Larsen, aged 48, confessed to authorities that he specifically targeted the victim because of his religion and had intended to kill him. The incident, which took place on July 13, garnered attention as videos of the assault circulated widely on social media platforms.
Sohailuddin is currently in critical condition and receiving treatment at a hospital in West Valley City. His family, residing in the Toli Chowki area of Hyderabad, has urged the government to assist them in this distressing situation. They have sought the intervention of Minister for External Affairs S. Jaishankar to engage with US authorities and facilitate their travel to the US by arranging visas.
The victim’s wife, Amreen Firdouse, was deeply affected by the news of the attack, leading to her fainting. Sohailuddin and Firdouse have two young children, aged five and three. Asma Firdouse, his sister-in-law, has also appealed to the External Affairs Minister for urgent action, requesting emergency visas for at least two family members to support Sohailuddin.
Amjed Ullah Khan, a spokesperson for Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT), has met with Sohailuddin’s family and written to Minister Jaishankar, urging the Indian embassy in Washington, D.C., to extend consular assistance to the injured Indian national and his family. Khan has further called for the Minister’s intervention with the US Embassy in New Delhi and the US Consulate in Hyderabad to expedite the issuance of humanitarian visas for the victim’s close relatives.
