At least 184 hate crimes targeting Muslims and Kashmiris were reported across India in the wake of the Pahalgam attack, according to a compilation covering the period from April 22 to May 8 by the Association of Protection of Civil Rights (APCR).
84 hate speeches, 39 assaults, 19 vandalism and 3 Murders are mentioned in the report. Links to reports of the incidents are available in the report.
In Agra, Uttar Pradesh, members of the Kshatriya Gau Raksha Dal allegedly killed a Muslim man and wounded his cousin in retaliation for the Pahalgam violence. Another incident reported a Muslim man lynched over an alleged “Pak slogan” in Mangaluru, Karnataka. A third murder by lynching of a Muslim man by a Hindu mob was reported in Bokaro, Jharkhand.
Incidents involved individuals and groups, including those affiliated with Hindutva outfits and political parties, and impacted diverse targets ranging from individuals and students to vendors, businesses, religious places, and entire localities.
Assaults were widespread, targeting various individuals. Kashmiri women and students were attacked in Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh, sometimes with security personnel reportedly inactive. Muslim vendors were also subject to brutal assaults, including shawl vendors in Mussorie, Uttarakhand, by Bajrang Dal members, where police reportedly told them to leave afterwards.
“Uttar Pradesh bore witness to the highest number of incidents, followed by Bihar, Maharashtra, Delhi, and Telangana. Other states like Karnataka, Punjab, Chandigarh, and West Bengal experienced serious cases,” the document by APCR stated.
BJP workers allegedly assaulted Muslim hawkers in Mumbai, Maharashtra. A Muslim head constable was assaulted on duty in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Hindu mobs, including Bajrang Dal members armed with hockey sticks and swords, were reported to have assaulted Muslim women, children, and men in Santacruz, Maharashtra, in one instance allegedly forcing a Muslim woman carrying her child to say “Jai Shree Ram” and threatening her with “dragging” her to Pakistan.
A minor Muslim boy was assaulted and allegedly forced to urinate on a Pakistani flag in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, and another minor boy was assaulted for touching a woman by mistake in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
Other assaults included attacks on Muslim men, a Muslim teacher, and Muslim cattle traders. Some individuals reported assaults coupled with police harassment or inaction, with one Muslim man allegedly committing suicide after police harassment and assault in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh.
An armed mob called for Muslims to evacuate Darul Uloom Deoband by a specific date. Calls for economic and social boycott of Muslims were made by leaders and in protests. Some speakers urged Hindus to arm themselves or to drive out or evict Muslims.
Vandalism and Property Damage
Property belonging to Muslims or associated with Islam was targeted in several incidents. These included vandalism of madrasas, Muslim-owned shops and carts, a Muslim resident’s calendar, a Muslim juice vendor’s shop, Muslim residences, and a Muslim-owned clinic. Demolition of houses belonging to suspected militants was reported in Kashmir, allegedly in violation of Supreme Court guidelines. A mosque was vandalised by a BJP MLA in Rajasthan during a rally, and another mosque was pelted with stones by Hindutva outfits in Uttarakhand.
A mazaar was vandalised and an attempt was made to demolish it in Uttarakhand. In Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, a Muslim residence was pelted with stones and set on fire, and other Muslim residences were targeted. Karachi Bakery, with a name associated with Pakistan, was vandalised in Andhra Pradesh.
In several instances, police were accused of inaction, religious bias, or harassment against Muslim victims or those defending them. A Muslim MLA was arrested for calling the Pahalgam attack a government conspiracy. A migrant Muslim labourer was arrested for anti-Modi social media posts.
.){kind=link}