Hindu Pujari and devotees assaulted on Diwali by Muslim mob for singing Bhajans at Kanifnath Temple
Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India 
12 November, 2023
Case Summary
Hindu devotees, including women and the temple priest at Kanifnath temple, were brutally assaulted by Islamists in Ahmednagar’s Rahuri region for performing Bhajans during Diwali. The accused, including Raju Sheikh, Rajjak Sattar, Nasir, Ibrahim, and 40 others, attacked the Hindus in a group, with the incident captured on video and circulated widely online. The assault occurred at an ancient religious site in Guha village, known to Hindus as the Samadhi of Saint Kanifnath Maharaj, but claimed by Muslims in the village and surrounding areas as the Dargah of the Pir.
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.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 10 to 100
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
