List of attacks against Hindu processions in India

A series of incidents involving violence during religious processions have taken place in various regions of India, giving rise to intercommunity tensions.

Procession

Hanuman Jayanti

On April 16, 2022, incidents of violence occurred during Hanuman Jayanti processions in several locations across India.

• In Delhi's Jahangirpuri locality of Delhi, a procession commemorating Hanuman Jayanti encountered an episode of stone pelting. The procession was subjected to stone-throwing by individuals positioned on rooftops within the vicinity. In response, some participants in the procession also engaged in throwing stones. This escalated into a confrontation, during which the crowd turned its aggression towards law enforcement personnel, using both stones and gunfire. A sub-inspector from the Delhi Police sustained injuries from a gunshot during the altercation. Additionally, several members of the police force and civilians were assaulted. The incident also resulted in the vandalization of numerous vehicles associated with the Hanuman Jayanti procession.

• The same day, an incident occurred in Roorkee, Uttarakhand, where a group identified as Muslim residents engaged in stone pelting and firing at participants of the Hanuman Jayanti Shobhayatra. The event was organized by Bajrang Dal activists and villagers within the Bhagwanpur Police station jurisdiction in the Haridwar district. The procession, while passing through Dada Patti village, encountered stone pelting from individuals located within nearby residences.

• Stone-pelting also took place in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, during a Hanuman Jayanti yatra, leading to injuries and arrests. The procession, accompanied by loud music, apparently caused discomfort among individuals gathered in a local mosque for an Iftar meal, resulting in the initiation of stone pelting and subsequent violence. A total of 15 individuals sustained injuries as a consequence, and authorities subsequently apprehended 20 individuals in relation to the incident.

Ram Navami

Main article: Ram Navami riots

Multiple incidents of violence during Ram Navami processions were reported from various states.

• On April 10, a Ram Navami procession encountered an attack in Bhokta Bagicha, situated within Hirhi village in the Lohardaga district of Jharkhand. During this event, a group of Muslims engaged in pelting stones at the procession, subsequently igniting fires that affected numerous vehicles, including 10 motorcycles. The attack resulted in more than 16 individuals sustaining injuries, with approximately 3 of them reportedly in a critical condition.

• In separate instances in Madhya Pradesh, reports indicate two occurrences of stone-pelting and arson during Ram Navami processions. One such procession, originating from the Talab Chowk area, had to be prematurely abandoned due to a barrage of thrown stones. This incident led to the incineration of several vehicles. Law enforcement authorities intervened by deploying tear gas shells to restore order. The violence during these incidents led to a total of 24 casualties, including 6 police personnel. The Superintendent of Police for Khargone was also wounded during this period.

A similar stone-pelting incident was recorded in Sendhwa town of Barwani district. In this occurrence, the in-charge of a police station, Baldev Singh Mujalde, and five others sustained injuries. The situation was eventually brought under control, allowing the procession to continue in a peaceful manner.

• On April 10, a Ram Navami Procession within Howrah, West Bengal, encountered an attack resulting in the procession being disrupted. The assault, reportedly initiated by local Muslims, led to injuries sustained by numerous participants, predominantly due to stone-pelting. Social media platforms showcased multiple videos capturing the incident, revealing the procession's encounter with the attack. Allegations circulated regarding stone-pelting from a Muslim crowd, while local law enforcement was perceived as passive observers.

• The same day in Chhaparia village of Himmatnagar, Sabarkantha district, Gujarat, the procession was targeted by local Muslim individuals, leading to stone-pelting. Vandalism extended beyond stone-throwing, affecting certain vehicles as well. A similar incident took place in Khambat town, Anand district, where Islamists engaged in stone-pelting that caused damage to shops and vehicles. Law enforcement responded by utilizing tear gas shells and apprehending nine individuals, including three Maulvis, in relation to the incident. Regrettably, one fatality was reported during the attack in Khambat.

• On April 8, 2022, In Mulbagal town of the Kolar district in Karnataka, a Shobha Yatra, part of Ram Navami celebrations, was subjected to stone-pelting. Stones were aimed at the Sri Ram idol carried in the procession, and vehicles such as cars and motorcycles were targeted by the assailants. A motorcycle was set on fire as a result of the stone-throwing. The incident took place prior to the scheduled Ram Navami observance on Sunday, contributing to communal tensions within the area.

• On April 11, 2022, An incident involving an Akhada procession, organized by Hindu devotees in observance of Ram Navami, faced aggression from local Muslims in Joda town, located within the Keonjhar district of Odisha. The episode unfolded as devotees adorned with religious flags reached the temple of Lord Shiva in ward number 4. At this juncture, members from the Muslim community obstructed the procession's path and engaged in verbal disputes with the devotees. Their actions prevented the devotees from accessing the temple premises, and the situation escalated as the aggressors resorted to pelting stones and glass bottles at the devotees. This provocation led to a series of violent clashes, resulting in several individuals sustaining injuries.

Navaratri

• On April 2, a bout of communal discord unfurled in the Hatwara Bazaar locale of Karauli, Rajasthan, coinciding with the Navaratri festivities. The turmoil transpired as agitators directed stone pelting at a Hindu motorbike rally. Simultaneously, over a dozen shops and three motorcycles were subjected to arson.

Accounts indicate that the mob assault inflicted injuries on a total of 43 individuals, including both law enforcement officers and civilians. This aggression occurred as the rally, commemorating the 'Nav Samvatsar' or Hindu new year, traversed a region predominantly inhabited by the Muslim community. The injured were promptly admitted to the district hospital, with one individual named Pushpendra's condition regarded as critical. He has subsequently been referred for specialized care in Jaipur.

Furthermore, four policemen accompanying the rally were also harmed in the course of the stone-pelting incident. The injuries sustained by the victims reportedly bore marks consistent with knife-related trauma.

• October 21, members of the Muslim community engaged in stone-pelting targeting a Devi Pandal during an evening aarti ceremony. This incident transpired in Village Dikhtauli, Shikohabad, situated in the Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh. The Dalit community had erected a pandal featuring the idol of Goddess Durga on a vacant plot located adjacent to a road.

The Dalit community alleged that a series of events preceded the confrontation. As they initiated their Navratri observances, individuals from the Muslim community reportedly gathered on the nearby vacant land, consuming alcohol and using offensive language during the Aarti ceremony. The cumulative effect of these occurrences heightened tensions between the two groups, ultimately culminating in a physical altercation. Despite these allegations, local law enforcement authorities denied attributing the incident to communal factors. The authorities also refuted claims of stone-pelting targeting the Durga Puja Pandal during the event.

Holi Celebration

Muslims objected to Hindu celebrations during Holi in various incidents.

• In Gujarat, Muslims attacked Hindus playing Holi, leading to clashes.
• Similar confrontations occurred in Uttar Pradesh's Noida and Bareilly, where Muslims demanded the cessation of Holi celebrations during Namaz.
• Clashes between the communities also unfolded in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur, where meat pieces were thrown on the procession route.

Kanwar Yatra

The annual Kanwar Yatra, a Hindu pilgrimage, faced attacks from radical Islamists.

• In Jaipur, a Muslim mob attacked buses carrying Kanwariyas during their journey.
• Another incident occurred in Budaun, Uttar Pradesh, where Muslims pelted stones at a tractor-trailer carrying Kanwariyas.
• Siwan, Bihar, witnessed a mob attack on Kanwariyas during the idol immersion procession, resulting in injuries.

Saraswati Puja Celebration

Muslims attacked Saraswati Puja processions during the celebrations in various incidents.

• Clashes were reported in Bihar's Vidyasagar, Kathbari, Hazaribagh, and Beldiha villages, leading to injuries and tension.
• A clash between students and locals erupted in Patna, Bihar, during a Saraswati idol immersion procession, causing injuries and chaos.
• In Motihari, Bihar, a Muslim mob attacked a Vishwakarma idol immersion procession, resulting in injuries and damage to the idol.

Janmashtami Tension

In 2019, communal tensions arose in Bareilly district's Baheri tehsil during Janmashtami celebrations.

• In Makri Nacada village, Muslims pelted stones at devotees during a procession to celebrate Lord Krishna's birth.