Ex-Muslim YouTuber Saleem Wastik arrested in murder case after stabbing attack

The case involves the abduction and murder of 13-year-old Sandeep Bansal, the son of a Delhi-based businessman. On January 20, 1995, the boy was kidnapped while on his way to school.

In Short

• Salim Wastik jumped bail in 2000, faked death, lived under false identity
• Survived brutal stabbing attack in UP's Ghaziabad in February 2026
• Police encounter killed two suspects linked to Wastik stabbing attack

The Delhi Police Crime Branch has arrested Salim Wastik, also known as Salim Ahmed, in connection with a 31-year-old kidnapping and murder case dating back to 1995. Wastik, who was recently subjected to a stabbing attack for his religious views, had been living under a false identity for over two decades. He was apprehended from Loni in Ghaziabad following a tip-off and subsequent verification of his identity through old records, fingerprints, and photographs, police said.

The case involves the abduction and murder of 13-year-old Sandeep Bansal, the son of a Delhi-based businessman. On January 20, 1995, the boy was kidnapped while on his way to school.

A day later, his family received a ransom call demanding Rs 30,000 for his safe release, along with threats against involving the police.

Despite the demand, the child was killed, and his body was later recovered from a drain in the Mustafabad area based on disclosures made during the investigation.

Police investigations at the time led to the arrest of Salim, who worked as a martial arts trainer at the victim’s school, and his associate Anil.

During interrogation, Salim confessed to the crime and implicated his accomplice. In 1997, both were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by a court.

However, in 2000, Salim secured interim bail from the Delhi High Court but failed to return, effectively jumping bail.

Over the years, he managed to evade arrest by adopting a new identity and even faking his own death to mislead authorities. He began living as Salim Ahmed, later gaining attention as a YouTuber and self-styled social activist.

According to police, the accused spent years moving between locations in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh before eventually settling in Loni, where he ran a women’s clothing shop.

Despite his fugitive status, he reportedly built a public profile on social media and was even in talks for a film project based on his life, for which he had received an advance payment.

The arrest was carried out by a Crime Branch team led by Inspector Robin Tyagi after intelligence inputs suggested that a known YouTuber might be a long-absconding criminal.

Authorities then matched historical data to confirm his identity before conducting the raid.

Following his arrest, Salim Wastik has been sent to Tihar Jail. Police officials stated that the development underscores their continued efforts to track down absconders, regardless of how much time has passed.

The case highlights how the accused managed to evade law enforcement for 26 years by continuously altering his identity and location.

Officials reiterated that legal consequences cannot be avoided indefinitely, noting that persistent investigation and technological tools played a key role in solving the case after more than three decades.

SURVIVED STABBING ATTACK

On February 27, 2026, two "dreaded accused" entered the office of Salim Wastik at around 2 am and slit his throat, according to police. Wastik survived the assault and underwent urgent treatment at a nearby hospital.

Investigators said both accused were identified through CCTV footage and the motorcycle used in the crime. The two men were brothers.

Two assailants, wearing helmets, arrived on a motorcycle and entered Wastik’s Ashok Vihar Colony residence in Loni, Ghaziabad, on February 27. Without revealing their identities, they launched a brutal knife attack, repeatedly stabbing him in the neck and abdomen.

Several outfits and people linked the attack on Saleem Wastik to his being an ex-Muslim and his views that were critical of Islam.

In connection with that case, police later shot dead two suspects in an encounter. Investigators said this incident brought renewed attention to his background, eventually leading to a breakthrough in the decades-old case.

Saleem Wastik was known for expressing his critical views in public. He ran two YouTube channels and appeared on TV shows. His YouTube channel, with 179 videos, had 28.4K subscribers at the time of the attack.

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