In the past few months, several instances of street mobilisation, aggressive sloganeering, and crowd violence emerging over seemingly minor disputes have raised concerns over the rapid communalisation of local conflicts in different parts of the country.
Another such incident surfaced from Maharashtra’s Pune city late Monday (May 18) night, where an altercation between minors in the Kondhwa area escalated into large-scale unrest, with Islamist mobs taking to the streets, raising Islamic slogans, pelting stones, and clashing with police personnel outside the Kondhwa Police Station.
The violence reportedly left multiple police personnel injured and forced authorities to deploy Riot Control Police (RCP) and State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) units to restore order.
According to reports, the incident began with a minor altercation between children belonging to Hindu and Muslim communities who were playing in a residential society in Kondhwa. Hindu organisations alleged that a Hindu minor was assaulted by minors from the Muslim community, following which elders from both sides became involved, escalating the confrontation into a communal flashpoint.
Speaking to media, members of the Sakal Hindu Samaj claimed that what initially appeared to be a localised scuffle soon snowballed into a larger confrontation after families and local residents gathered at the spot. The organisation alleged that members of the Muslim community later reached the Kondhwa Police Station when Hindu residents went there to lodge a complaint.
Videos circulating on social media purportedly show large groups marching through the streets of Kondhwa while raising slogans of “Nara-e-Takbir Allahu Akhbar.” Some clips also allegedly show individuals carrying sticks and other objects amid the charged atmosphere. The authenticity of all viral videos, however, has not been independently verified.
ALARMING!
Over a small fight between two boys, an entire Muslim mob attempted to mob-lynch a minor Hindu youth in Pune.
And when Hindus went to file a complaint, a mob of 200+ radicals descended on the police station shouting “Nara-e-Takbir, Allahu Akbar” and attempted to… pic.twitter.com/NsJTyeW5XH
— Treeni (@treeni) May 19, 2026
According to Hindu group members, tensions further escalated outside the police station premises where heated arguments allegedly turned violent. They claimed that police attempted to separate the rival groups and disperse the crowd, but the situation spiralled out of control as stone pelting began near the police station.
Police subsequently resorted to a lathi charge to control the mob and clear the roads. Several members of the Hindu community allegedly sustained injuries during the baton charge, according to claims made by local organisations.
Authorities have not yet officially confirmed the number of injured civilians.
The violence intensified around midnight when hundreds of people reportedly gathered on the main road near Kondhwa Police Station and staged a sit-in protest, blocking traffic movement in the area. Viral footage from the scene shows chaotic visuals, with crowds occupying the roadway as police personnel attempted to regain control.
As the confrontation escalated, rioters turned against the police force itself. Stones were reportedly hurled at police vehicles and officers, injuring multiple personnel and damaging official property. Following the attack, senior police officials deployed Riot Control Police and SRPF units to prevent further escalation and disperse the gathering.
Pune Police have taken the incident seriously and registered an FIR under relevant sections related to rioting, stone pelting, unlawful assembly, and obstruction of government work. Officials said the accused are being identified through CCTV footage and viral social media videos.
Police sources quoted in media say that several suspects have already been detained for questioning, while multiple teams have been formed to trace and arrest other accused individuals allegedly involved in the violence. Raids are reportedly underway in different parts of the city.
Further investigation into the incident is currently underway.
The Kondhwa unrest comes days after a similar incident in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, where groups gathered on the streets and raised slogans such as “Allahu Akbar” and “Sar Tan Se Juda,” leading to tensions and debate on social media. The matter was linked to an alleged case of Love Jihad, where mobs took to the streets demanding the beheading of Hindu activists for merely protecting a Hindu woman.
EXCLUSIVE!
Yesterday, Muslim extremists chanted “SAR TAN SE JUDA” outside Bhopal’s Police Commissionerate.
In this rally, AIMIM State President Mohsin Ali Khan allegedly made inciting speeches.
A Muslim man was also seen chanting “Tera Mera Rishta Kya…” on top of a police… pic.twitter.com/AJXEza9OZr
— Treeni (@treeni) May 13, 2026
Similarly, in Maharashtra’s Mira Road area, a Hindu couple was attacked by an Islamist group after they questioned some people for breaking the queue at a petrol pump. The incident later escalated and drew communal attention online.
