Muslim mob attacks Hindus for celebrating Diwali by bursting firecrackers

Case ID : 147d3cd | Location : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India | Date of Incident : Sat, 26 October, 2024

Case ID : 147d3cd

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

26 October, 2024

Muslim mob attacks Hindus for celebrating Diwali by bursting firecrackers

Attack not resulting in death

Attacked for Hindu identity

Case Summary

On October 27 in the Mira Bhayander region of Mumbai, Hindus celebrating Diwali by bursting firecrackers were attacked by a Muslim mob. The attackers, armed with sharp weapons, ice-breakers, and glass bottles, targeted around 10-12 Hindus, resulting in serious injuries to multiple victims. Five of the injured had to be hospitalised for treatment. Videos of the incident, widely shared on social media, depicted over a dozen attackers assaulting the victims. Three victims, visibly injured, provided statements to local media. One victim recounted how Imran led the attack and abused them before mobilising others to join in. The attackers justified their actions by claiming the firecrackers were harmful. The victim, who attempted to defend himself, was overpowered and beaten, along with his friends and family who came to his aid. Despite the victims calling the police during the attack, authorities arrived only after the violence had ended. Protesters, primarily from the Hindu community, gathered at the Navghar Police Station, demanding strict action against the accused. The police detained several individuals for questioning.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category of 'Attack not resulting in death' and under this, the sub-category selected is- Attacked for Hindu identity. In several cases, Hindus are attacked merely for their Hindu identity without any perceived provocation. A classic example of this category of religiously motivated hate crime is a murder in 2016. 7 ISIS terrorists were convicted for shooting a school principal in Kanpur because they got ‘triggered’ seeing the Kalava on his wrist and tilak that he had put. In this, the Hindu victim had offered no provocation except for his Hindu religious identity. The motivation for the murder was purely religious, driven by religious supremacy. Such cases where Hindus are targeted merely for their religious identity would be documented as a hate crime under this category. The attack on Hindus celebrating Diwali in Mira Bhayander, Mumbai, where a Muslim mob assaulted Hindus for merely bursting firecrackers, underscores a stark display of intolerance rooted in religious animosity. Diwali, one of the most revered festivals in Hinduism, involves traditional practices like lighting lamps and bursting firecrackers, symbolizing joy and triumph of good over evil. The unprovoked assault, led by individuals armed with sharp weapons and glass bottles, reveals a blatant disregard for the cultural and religious sentiments of Hindus. In fact, this extreme act of violence highlights the underlying prejudice and hate the perpetrators harbour against Hindus and their festivals, leading to such violent reactions. Due to the perpetrator's obvious contempt for the victim's faith, this case qualifies for documentation under the tracker. It is important to note here that after the assault against the Hindu devotees celebrating their festival, Muslim extremists attempted to justify the attack by claiming they were concerned about firecrackers. It is often seen in such cases that extremists offer post-facto justification for their violence, in an attempt to shield the perpetrators and dehumanise the victims of violence - essentially claiming that the unprovoked violence had a justifiable cause. Similar justifications are seen when religious processions come under attack. Such justifications, which are merely surface-level cover-ups for the religious hostility that drives the violence against Hindus manifesting their faith, dehumanise Hindus to further incite violence against them.