A joyous wedding procession in Guharu village, located in the Gurua police station area of Gaya district, took a tragic turn on May 7, 2025, when a group of local Muslim men attacked the procession with sticks and stones. The sudden violence led to the death of an elderly man and left several others injured.
The wedding procession (Barat) belonged to a Yadav family; however, the attack was not limited to the Yadavs alone. Members of the Mahadalit community, who were part of the celebration, also fell victim to the brutal assault. The incident has instilled fear among the Dalit community, who now feel increasingly vulnerable.
Amid the rising communal tension, allegations have surfaced accusing the local police and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA of attempting to cover up the incident. Community members claim that the authorities are downplaying the severity of the attack, raising concerns about systemic bias and the safety of vulnerable groups in the area.
As the affected families mourn their losses, calls for justice and impartial investigation grow louder, with many demanding accountability from the local administration and political leadership.
A Wedding Procession Turns Deadly
On the evening of May 7, 2025, at approximately 9:30 PM, the wedding procession of Mithilesh Yadav was preparing to depart from the home of Ramvriksh Yadav in Guharu village for the bride’s residence in Sadharo Cham Nema Bigha. As part of the pre-wedding rituals, a Mata Pujan ceremony was held, requiring the groom and elderly family members to visit a nearby temple. The procession was vibrant, with children dancing to DJ music and women accompanying the groom and elders to the temple.
According to local compulsion in the so-called Muslim-dominated village, the DJ music was halted well before the procession reached the vicinity of a mosque en route to the temple, out of terror owing to incidents in the past. Only the groom and the elderly proceeded to the temple for prayers. However, as they returned to rejoin the procession, a mob of Muslim men and women launched a violent attack.
Sunaina Devi, wife of Gurudayal Bhuiyan and a resident of Guharu village, detailed the assault in her police complaint. She stated that a group of men, including Itipas Miya, Sonu Alam, Ehsan Alam, Mansur Alam, Chand Alam, Sohail Miya, Tusar Alam, Raju Alam, Tanveer Alam, Aslam Miya, Kaifi Alam, Waris Alam, Asim Miya, Samu Miya, Saddam Miya, Anim Alam, Roshan Alam, and others, began abusing the procession members, using derogatory terms like “Harijan” to target the Dalit community. When the victims protested, the situation escalated.
“They became more furious and started beating us,” Sunaina Devi recounted in the FIR. She alleged that Aslam Miya tore her blouse with malicious intent and assaulted her physically. When other women—Savita Devi, Shanti Devi, and Rekha Devi—rushed to her aid after hearing her screams, additional attackers, including Sattatudin, Suhev Miya, Kulin Alam, Naseem Miya, Ayub Alam, Jahangir Miya, and Saddam Alam, joined the assault, wielding rods and sticks.
The violence resulted in severe injuries to multiple individuals, including Sunaina Devi and Anupruni, and the destruction of Gurudayal Bhuiyan’s thatched house. The attackers allegedly stole jewellery and money from the home and tore an earring from Savita Devi’s ear. Sunaina Devi reported that the assailants threatened to burn down the homes of the entire Dalit community if they reported the incident to the police, stating, “We will not spare even a single Dalit.”
Tragically, Ramvriksh Yadav, the groom’s father, was lynched during the attack and succumbed to his injuries.
Locals claim that two of Ramvriksh’s brothers and the groom, Mithilesh Yadav, were also injured. However, the FIR does not mention Ramvriksh’s death, fueling allegations of a cover-up.
A Pattern of Communal Tensions
Residents of Guharu village, a predominantly Muslim area with only 10-15 Hindu households among over 150 Muslim families, described a history of communal tensions and restrictions imposed by the Muslim majority.
Gopi Yadav, a local resident, told reporters, “Incidents like these keep happening in the village. They do not let us live peacefully. No procession is allowed, and no wedding can go peacefully here. They want us to convert to Islam.”
Gopi highlighted the challenges faced by Hindus in accessing the temple, which requires passing the mosque. “There is only one way to the Devi Mandir, and the mosque is in between. We are not allowed to go there. How are we supposed to live?” he asked.
Bharat Paswan, another villager, explained the specific grievance that may have triggered the attack: “They don’t want us to take DJ processions. We had halted the DJ way before the mosque, but they still attacked us. All they want is to eradicate our religion.”
Gopi Yadav also alleged provocative behaviour during Muslim processions, stating, “When the Tajiya procession is taken out during Muharram, they stop at the doors of our houses, chanting ‘Ya Ali, Ya Hussain’ to provoke us. We remain silent, locked inside, as they will kill us if we protest.”
Sonu, who is the nephew of the groom, provided a harrowing account to the media: “We were dancing to the DJ while the elders and my mama [uncle] went to the temple for prayers. They returned, and my mama had reached the DJ, but by then the Islamists attacked the elderly. My nana ji [grandfather, Ramvriksh Yadav] was beaten with lathis. No one could go there until they left. We couldn’t save him.”
Locals also reported that the attackers threatened further violence, with one assailant allegedly stating, “This is just a trailer; more sufferings will be inflicted in the coming days.”
Police Response and Allegations of Bias
The Gurua police station registered an FIR (Number 210/2025) based on Sunaina Devi’s complaint, booking the accused under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, including 191(2) (rioting), 191(3) (rioting with deadly weapons), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 117(2) (grievous hurt), 127(1) (wrongful confinement), 74 (assault on a woman with intent to outrage modesty), 109 (attempt to commit offense), and 303(2) (theft). Additionally, charges were filed under Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, for targeting the Dalit community.
The police have arrested two individuals, Monu alias Tushad Ahmed and Chand Ahmed, from the accused group.
However, in a controversial move, two Hindus from the victim’s family were also detained, despite their injuries. Locals claim that instead of being taken to a hospital, the injured Hindus, including Mithilesh Yadav and Ramvriksh’s brothers, were locked up in jail.
Mohammad Sarfaraz Imam, the senior police officer at Gurua police station, is overseeing the investigation. Reports indicate that three Muslims and over five Hindus were injured in the clash, but the police have not publicly acknowledged Ramvriksh Yadav’s death, further fueling distrust. Villagers accuse the police administration of downplaying the incident to avoid escalating communal tensions.
Political Response: RJD MLAs’ Blatant Ignorance
The local RJD MLA, Vinay Yadav, has been criticised for failing to visit Guharu village or meet the victim’s family, despite sharing the same Yadav caste as the victims. “The MLA had no time to visit us,” said Gopi Yadav.
Instead, Amit Dangi, a local leader, intervened to ensure the postmortem of Ramvriksh Yadav’s body was conducted and the body was handed over to the family. “Without Amit Dangi, even this would not have been possible,” Gopi added.
The lack of political engagement has deepened the sense of abandonment among the Hindu residents, who feel marginalised in their own village.
A Village Under Siege
The attack on May 7, 2025, is not an isolated incident, according to villagers. The demographic imbalance, 150 Muslim families vastly outnumbering 10-15 Hindu households, has created an environment where Hindu religious practices, such as processions and temple visits, are routinely obstructed. The requirement to halt DJ music near the mosque, while adhered to by the wedding procession, did not prevent the violence, suggesting deeper communal animosities.
Posts on X reflect the outrage and fear among some users. One post by @TheTreeni on May 12, 2025, stated, “Muslim Mob Attacks Hindu Wedding Procession in Bihar, One Dead, Dozens Injured,” describing the attack as escalating from a dispute over DJ music. Another post by @jitendra_jnp on May 13, 2025, appealed to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, asking, “What crime is it to be Hindu in Bihar?” These posts, while indicative of public sentiment, cannot be taken as conclusive evidence without further verification.
Official Silence and Community Fear
As of now, the entire Dalit community in Guharu village remains in a state of fear, with many residents having fled their homes. The police have not issued a public statement addressing the death of Ramvriksh Yadav or the broader allegations of communal targeting.
Sunaina Devi concluded her FIR with a plea: “It is my humble request that, get us justice and take action against all these guilty people.” For now, the villagers of Guharu await justice, while grappling with the trauma of a wedding day turned deadly and the spectre of further violence.
Targeted Attacks on Hindus in Bihar
Recently, a shocking and violent incident unfolded in Darbhanga, Bihar, on May 6, when a group of Muslims reportedly attacked a group of Hindus after verifying their religion. The incident took place in the evening near the Jale Police Station and has raised serious concerns about religious intolerance and communal violence. A total of 11 Hindus were seriously injured in the attack, which involved sticks and sharp weapons. An FIR has been filed at the Jale Police Station, and four individuals have already been arrested in connection with the attack.
