Hindu family celebrating Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha attacked by Muslim mob
Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India 
23 January, 2024
Case Summary
On January 24, 2024, in Sirauli, Bareilly, a Muslim mob attacked Hindus celebrating the consecration of the Ram Mandir. Varun Rastogi and his family were setting off fireworks when Muslims in the locality objected. The argument escalated into violence as Shahavez, Wasim, Suhail, Qayyum, Danish, and Sahana attacked Varun and his children with sticks. Varun's wife and other locals who tried to intervene were also beaten. The attackers followed the Rastogi family into their home and continued the assault, even snatching a gold chain from a youth named Sachin Gupta. Varun and others sustained severe injuries and are receiving medical treatment. Varun filed an FIR against the attackers at the Sirauli police station.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
Hindu devotees are a few of the easiest targets of religiously motivated hate crimes because during the festival/procession/puja etc, for non-Hindus it is easy to profile their victims on the basis of religion. Hindu devotees come under attack on several occasions by individual non-Hindus or mobs of non-Hindus owing to their animosity against Hinduism, its symbols and tradition/practices. There are several instances of Hindu devotees being attacked while they worship in temples or temporary religious structures, during religious processions, doing bhajan/kirtan/puja in their own homes, in the residential society etc. These attacks are perpetrated by non-Hindus primarily because of their animosity towards Hindus and their faith. In some cases, the trigger for the violence may be non-religious, however, there are two elements that make these hate crimes. First, the Hindus who come under attack are attacked violently while indulging in religious activity. Whether they are in a place of worship or not is immaterial to the crime. When individuals are attacked while indulging in religious practices, the attack in itself is a hindrance to their freedom to practice religion and therefore constitutes a hate crime. Secondly, religious supremacist doctrines and ideologies deem religious practices of Hindus to be offensive ab initio since they are considered “sinful” by these ideologies, worthy to be annihilated by force or coercion. Driven by these religious supremacist ideologies and doctrines, the attacks against Hindu devotees stem from intrinsic animosity towards Hinduism. In some cases, the trigger for the violence may be non-religious, however, it develops into a religiously motivated crime during the course of the violence. Since these attacks stem from animosity towards Hindus and Hinduism, they are considered religiously motivated hate crimes under this category. In this case, a Hindu family commemorating the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya came under attack by Islamists. For Hindus, the Pran Pratishtha event represents the pinnacle of centuries-long struggle to reclaim Lord Ram’s birthplace and reinstate Bhagwan Ram to his Janmabhoomi. The return of Lord Ram to Ram Janmabhoomi is a testament to the thousands of devotees, particularly the Karsevaks, who gave up everything to continue battling for a site that was forcibly taken by Islamic invaders who humiliated the native Hindus by erecting a mosque on top of an already existing temple. However, the Muslim perpetrators, owing to their animosity towards Hinduism, Hindu religious places and especially the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya which has special spiritual, cultural and religious significance, launched an unbridled attack against Hindu devotees celebrating the Ram Mandir Pran Prathishtha event. Attacks, like this one, are rooted in religious bias or hatred against Hindus. They are motivated by a desire to harm, humiliate, or insult the individual based on their religious beliefs, making it a clear act of religious intolerance and hatred, which is why this case has been included in the hate tracker.
Case Status
Complaint registered
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
both
Sources 
