Hindu family attacked in their home by Muslims over Diwali firecrackers in Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh

Case ID : 30ab414 | Location : Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, India | Date of Incident : Sat, 7 November, 2026

Case ID : 30ab414

Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, India

7 November, 2026

Hindu family attacked in their home by Muslims over Diwali firecrackers in Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh

Attack not resulting in death

Attacked for Hindu identity

Attacked for opposing radicals or trying to save victim

Case Summary

In Karondi locality of Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, a Hindu family was attacked inside their home by Baba Khan, his sons Faizal and Zuber, and their associates over bursting Diwali firecrackers. The incident began on Diwali night, 8 November 2026, when 19-year-old Aditya Batham was bursting firecrackers outside his house. Baba Khan objected to the fireworks and began hurling verbal abuse at him, triggering an argument. Soon afterwards, Baba Khan's sons, Faizal and Zuber, arrived with several associates and forcibly entered the Batham family's house. They assaulted Aditya and also beat his mother, Shakoon, and sister, Sandhya, when they intervened to protect him. The assault created panic inside the house and drew the attention of other residents in the neighbourhood. Following the incident, angry residents gathered and surrounded Baba Khan's residence, demanding action against those involved. As tensions escalated, police deployed a substantial force to the locality. Police personnel reached the spot and attempted to defuse the situation through discussions and intervention. Ward Councillor M. D. Gurjar also intervened and helped persuade the crowd to calm down. Police subsequently took Baba Khan, his sons, and other individuals from the residence to the Physical Police Station. The situation escalated further when members of the victim's family, residents and workers from several organisations gathered outside the police station. Ward Councillor M. D. Gurjar led the demonstration, during which protesters staged a sit-in lasting approximately one and a half hours. They demanded that the police register an FIR against all those involved, arrest them immediately and parade them through the locality. They also demanded the demolition of the accused family's houses and their removal from the colony. The protesters stated that Baba Khan and his sons had previously harassed residents and repeatedly attempted to disturb the peace in the neighbourhood. Police registered an FIR against Baba Khan, Faizal, Zuber, and several unidentified individuals. Police arrested five people in connection with the incident. Following the discussions, police personnel brought the accused out of the police station and paraded them on foot through the locality. After the procession, the protesters called off their sit-in and ended the road blockade.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category of: Attack not resulting in death. Within it, the selected subcategory 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 other subcategory selected is: Attacked for opposing radicals or trying to save victim. In several cases, Hindus are attacked for opposing religiously motivated crimes being committed against a fellow Hindu or simply for voicing an opinion opposing radical elements, who either have in the past or continue to persecute Hindus. In such cases, the initial attack against the victim, against which the Hindu was trying to defend the victim, would also need to be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime. Since the initial crime itself was religiously motivated and the subsequent crime of attempting to save the victim or speaking against the radical elements ends up inviting a violent attack, it would also be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. This case has been added to the Hinduphobia Tracker because it represents a deliberate act of hostility and violence directed at a Hindu family during Diwali celebrations. What began as a customary part of celebrating the festival of lights, bursting firecrackers outside their home, was met with aggression from Baba Khan, his sons Faizal and Zuber, and their associates, escalating into a physical assault on the Hindu family. The attack reflects deep-rooted animosity toward Hindu identity and visible expressions of faith. The Hindu family did not provoke; they were simply celebrating the festival. Yet, their act was treated as a provocation, leading to a violent assault. This disproportionate response underscores a pattern of intolerance toward Hindu religious expression, where even benign practices like lighting diyas or bursting crackers become flashpoints for aggression. Baba Khan's objection to Aditya Batham bursting firecrackers outside his house during Diwali celebrations amounted to hostility towards a customary expression of Hindu religious and cultural observance. Diwali holds immense religious significance for Hindus and is celebrated through prayers, lighting diyas, illuminating homes, family gatherings, and firecrackers. Aditya was simply celebrating Diwali by bursting firecrackers outside his home when Baba Khan objected. Instead of letting the family celebrate their festival peacefully, Baba Khan turned a customary Diwali activity into an ugly confrontation. This was not merely an argument over firecrackers but was an instance of a family being stopped and intimidated while celebrating its religious and cultural festival. Hindus celebrate Diwali with prayers, diyas, lights and firecrackers, and being subjected to abuse over these traditions made the incident particularly distressing. The objection disrupted the family's celebration and robbed what should have been a joyful occasion of its peace and happiness. What began with an objection to Diwali firecrackers escalated into a violent attack on the Batham family inside their own home. Baba Khan's sons, Faizal and Zuber and his associates assaulted Aditya Batham. When his mother, Shakoon, and sister, Sandhya, rushed to protect him, they too were beaten. The attack did not spare even the women of the household, who were assaulted simply for stepping in to save a family member. A Hindu family that had been celebrating Diwali was left facing violence and fear inside the very place where its members should have felt safest. The incident turned a festival meant for happiness, family gatherings and religious observance into a deeply traumatic experience. The assault on all three family members showed how far the confrontation had escalated, leaving the family to deal with physical violence and the humiliation of being attacked inside their own home during Diwali. By targeting a family for celebrating Diwali, the perpetrators sought to humiliate and terrorise them for their Hindu identity, continuing a broader trend of anti-Hindu aggression where community celebrations become grounds for confrontation and violence. Disclaimer: Although reports describe the attack as being carried out by Baba Khan, his two sons, Faizal and Zuber, and other associates, the exact number of perpetrators involved has not been officially confirmed. Because authorities arrested five individuals in connection with the incident, the perpetrator count has been recorded as 5 for documentation purposes. This figure will be updated if further verified details regarding the total number of assailants become available.