The celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr on March 21, 2024, across India once again brought to the forefront the stark contrast between manufactured narratives and the ground reality of communal harmony and security. For decades, a persistent ecosystem of global and local influencers has peddled a victimhood narrative, baselessly claiming that minority safety is under threat during Islamic festivals in Bharat. However, the evidence often points toward a far more unsettling trend: the systematic and pre-planned targeting of Hindu processions and festivals under the guise of religious fervour.
This report meticulously documents 13 major incidents of pre-planned, faith-motivated attacks against Hindus on the day of Eid between 2019 and 2025 by the Islamists. It exposes a systematic pattern of aggression designed to target the majority community, contradicting the prevailing narratives of manufactured insecurity.
Alcohol consumption dispute leads to brutal assault on Hindu family in Pilibhit
On March 31, 2025, during the occasion of Eid, a horrifying incident of communal aggression unfolded in the Bisalpur Kotwali area of Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh. In Ward Number 13, Habibullah Khan Shumali, a local Hindu family exhibited the courage to oppose social nuisance by stopping a group of radical youths from consuming alcohol in a nearby garden. Infuriated by this intervention, the primary accused—identified as Anas, Shohil, Ayyan, and Musharaf—mobilized a mob armed with sticks and rods. The extremists launched a coordinated physical assault on the Hindu household, leaving six people severely injured, including a woman named Mamata Devi, her husband Deshraj, and their children. Upon receiving the information, Bisalpur police reached the spot and took the four main accused into custody to prevent further escalation in the sensitive pocket.
Radical elements pelt stones at Ram Navami preparations in Giridih
Relentless stone-pelting by radical elements disrupted the sacred preparations for Ram Navami in the Dhariyadih area of Giridih, Jharkhand, on March 31, 2025. Conflict erupted when a group returning from Eid prayers objected to the traditional devotional music and drum-beating (Danka) being performed at a local temple by the Hindu community. While the police managed to temporarily de-escalate the tension in the morning, a mob resurfaced in the evening to target the devotees, leading to a violent clash. The unprovoked stone-pelting resulted in injuries to approximately 6 to 7 Hindus who were merely practicing their religious rights. Following the chaos, a heavy police contingent was deployed in the town, and FIRs were lodged against several identified rioters to restore order.
Innocent Hindu family targeted in Pune following minor domestic dispute on Eid
In a shocking display of intolerance, a Hindu family in the Yerwada area of Pune, Maharashtra, was brutally attacked by a radical group on June 17, 2024, the day of Eid-ul-Adha. The violence was sparked by a minor incident where a goat belonging to a Muslim neighbour hit a three-year-old Hindu girl. Instead of a peaceful resolution, the situation was weaponised by extremists Monty Sayyad, Zamir Sayyad, and their associates, who stormed the victim’s house and assaulted the family members. Several victims sustained serious injuries and had to be rushed to Sassoon Hospital for emergency treatment. Taking swift action against the perpetrators, Pune Police detained 12 individuals and formally booked five main accused under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including rioting and voluntarily causing hurt.
Temple sanctity violated in Darbhanga over religious broadcast objections
The sanctity of a Shiva temple in the Jamalpur area of Darbhanga, Bihar, was threatened on June 17, 2024, during the festival of Bakrid. A mob of approximately 50 radicalised individuals, who were gathered for prayers at a nearby Eidgah, took offence to the “Shiv Charcha” (devotional discourse) being broadcast through the temple’s microphone. The aggressive crowd marched toward the temple, hurling objects and attempting to forcibly dismantle the loudspeaker equipment. To prevent a full-scale communal riot and protect the religious site from further desecration, the Hindu devotees were forced to shut down their own microphone. Darbhanga police eventually arrived at the scene to pacify the situation and deployed additional forces to secure the temple premises against future intimidation.
Hindu shopkeeper brutally lynched by mob in Moradabad on Eid-ul-Adha
On June 17, 2024, a routine commercial dispute was weaponised into a violent communal assault in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. A local Hindu man named Jaipal was mercilessly attacked by a group of radical youths, including primary accused Iliyas, Bhura, and Irfan. The confrontation began when the accused returned to Jaipal’s shop claiming goods purchased earlier were defective; however, the situation quickly escalated into a physical onslaught against Jaipal and his cousins. The victims sustained grievous injuries and required urgent hospitalisation. Taking swift action to maintain law and order, the Moradabad police apprehended 12 individuals and booked them under various sections of the Indian Penal Code to ensure accountability for the targeted violence.
Hindu activists and women targeted over anti-slaughter protest in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
A horrific incident of violence and Molestation occurred in the Daulatabad police station area of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on the day of Bakrid, June 17, 2024. When Hindu activists attempted to oppose the illegal sacrifice of progeny of cows, a radicalised mob led by Ahmed Sayyad, Lala Sheikh, and others launched a murderous attack. The extremists didn’t just stop at physical assault and vandalizing vehicles; they also molested a Hindu woman present at the scene and issued death threats to her husband. The Daulatabad police subsequently registered a serious case involving charges of dacoity (Section 395), sexual harassment (Section 354A), and rioting against 19 named individuals and their associates.
Communal mob pelts stones at Hindus and police in Balasore over cattle slaughter
The town of Balasore, Odisha, witnessed large-scale communal unrest on June 17, 2024, when radical elements reacted violently to the Hindu community’s opposition to bovine slaughter during Bakrid. A mobilised mob engaged in a relentless 15-minute stone-pelting spree, targeting both Hindu civilians and the police personnel attempting to mediate the situation. The violence left five people injured, including several cops, and resulted in the extensive vandalism of over 15 vehicles. In response to the breakdown of order, the administration was forced to impose Section 144 in the area to curb further mobilisation of the rioters.
Police patrol Ambushed by cattle smugglers in Palghar during Bakrid Vigil
Law enforcement officers in Palghar, Maharashtra, became the targets of a violent ambush on the morning of June 17, 2024. A district police patrolling team was attacked while attempting to intercept a smuggling operation involving cattle being illegally transported to Malegaon for slaughter. The smugglers, identified as Shoaib Khan, Sheikh Shabbir, and others, pelted the police with stones, and one assailant even attempted to hack a policeman with a sickle. Despite the life-threatening resistance, the police successfully arrested six accused and rescued 11 cattle (6 cows and 5 calves) valued at ₹15 lakhs from the clutches of the traffickers.
Desecration of the ancient Martand sun temple by radical youths in Anantnag
The sanctity of the historic and ASI-protected Martand Sun Temple in Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir, was violated on April 22, 2023, coinciding with the festival of Eid. A viral video captured a group of radical youths wearing skullcaps entering the ancient ruins and lighting firecrackers within the temple premises, showing a blatant disregard for the religious sentiments of Hindus and the heritage of the site. The act of “celebratory” desecration sparked outrage among Hindu organizations, leading to a police investigation into the violation of monument protection laws by the identified trespassers.
Mob attacks a police officer documenting covid violations at Ahmedabad cemetery
On May 15, 2021, a Special Branch ASI, Krishnakumar Bhavsingh, was brutally assaulted by a radicalized crowd at a cemetery in the Juhapura area of Ahmedabad. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, a massive crowd had gathered for Eid, and when the officer attempted to record the violations as per official orders, he was surrounded. Incited by shouts of “He is a policeman, beat him and snatch his phone,” the mob attacked the officer, who narrowly escaped with his life. Ahmedabad police later identified and arrested five key perpetrators, including Raja Siddiqui and Mazhar Khan Pathan, for obstructing and assaulting a public servant on duty.
Anti-India sloganeering and stone-pelting erupts after Eid prayers in Anantnag
Peace was disrupted in South Kashmir’s Anantnag on May 3, 2022, following Eid-ul-Fitr prayers when a mob of radical elements emerged from a mosque to target security forces. The agitators raised “Free Kashmir” and other anti-national slogans, turning a religious occasion into a platform for political extremism. When security forces attempted to restore order, the group launched a heavy barrage of stones at the personnel. Quick intervention by the police eventually pushed back the stone-pelters, and CCTV footage was utilized to identify the ringleaders behind the choreographed unrest.
Kanwariyas ambushed by mob near Eidgah in Budaun
In a targeted attack on August 12, 2019, a group of Hindu pilgrims (Kanwariyas) was pelted with stones while passing by an Eidgah in the Islamnagar area of Budaun, Uttar Pradesh. The unprovoked violence left several pilgrims injured and created such a volatile environment that female police constables on duty had to seek refuge inside a petrol pump office to save themselves from the mob. The attackers also engaged in scuffles with male police officers who tried to protect the tractor-trolley of the pilgrims. Authorities later used footage to identify the local miscreants involved in the ambush.
ISIS and Pakistan flags displayed during violent Eid clashes in Srinagar
The streets of Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, witnessed high-intensity violence on August 22, 2018, following Eid-ul-Adha prayers. Radicalised mobs took to the streets, waving flags of Pakistan and the international terror group ISIS, while launching a coordinated stone-pelting attack on security forces and their vehicles. The severity of the organized violence was so high that it prompted a massive crackdown by the National Research Agency (NIA). Investigations later revealed a sophisticated network involving over 117 suspects who used WhatsApp groups to mobilise crowds for stone-pelting, leading to raids across 23 locations in North India.
These repeated instances of conflict underscore a disturbing trend of intolerance and organised unrest during sensitive periods. Whether through the desecration of ancient heritage sites, the intimidation of pilgrims or the direct targeting of police officers on duty, such actions pose a significant challenge to the internal security and social fabric of the nation. While law enforcement agencies have consistently intervened to restore order and apprehend the perpetrators, the persistence of these radicalised behaviours remains a grave concern for those advocating for the safety and religious rights of the majority community.
