Hindu passengers attacked for playing bhajans in car by Muslim mob

Case Summary
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari took to social media to report an attack on a vehicle in Kanthi City, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, for playing ‘Sanatani bhajans.’ The incident occurred during a public meeting opposing the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill. Adhikari revealed that as the vehicle was passing through Kanthi Central Bus Stand, it was attacked by a Muslim mob, described by him as members of Mamata Banerjee’s vote bank. The mob caused significant damage to the car and injured two passengers inside. Adhikari shared videos showing men wearing skull caps attacking the vehicle, smashing the windshield, and beating the passengers. The victims were subsequently rushed to Kanthi Sub Divisional Hospital for treatment. In his post, Adhikari expressed the horror faced by the passengers and called for swift action from the West Bengal police, emphasising that the videos provided enough evidence to identify the attackers.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category- Attack on Hindu religious representations and within 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. In this case, Hindu men were brutally attacked by Islamists for playing bhajans (devotional songs) in their car. Bhajans are a form of religious expression and worship in Hinduism. Attacking individuals for performing or playing bhajans is an attempt to suppress their right to practice their religion. Moreover, it is an act of hostility directed at their faith and religious identity. The attack, in this case, was unprovoked as the benign Hindu devotees were merely playing bhajans in his car, without creating any sort of disturbance for others. However, the Muslim perpetrators, out of their animosity for the Hindu religion, found it disturbing and launched a vicious attack on the victim. Since intrinsic animosity towards Hindus and their religious beliefs became the motivating factor of the crime, this case has been documented as a religiously motivated hate crime in this tracker.
Victim Details
Total Victim
2
Deceased
0
Gender
- Male 2
- Female 0
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 0
Caste
- SC/ST 0
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 2
Age Group
- Minor 0
- Adult 2
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 0

Case Status
Unknown

Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown