Minor Hindu girl killed by Muslim men in Bhavnagar, Gujrat
Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India 
8 February, 2023
Case Summary
In Sihor, Bhavnagar, a Muslim mob attacked a Hindu family, resulting in the death of a 16-year-old girl who intervened to save her uncle. During the incident, a man named Arif stabbed the girl, killing her instantly. Six individuals have been booked and arrested in connection with the case. The incident took place in Varal village, Sihor. Arif Allarkha went to the village to collect a tractor. There, he had an altercation with the former village head, Lashkarbhai Baraiya, which escalated into a physical fight. During the fight, Arif, in a fit of anger, ran at Lashkarbhai with a knife. At that moment, Lashkarbhai’s 16-year-old niece Radhika intervened, and Arif stabbed her. She was rushed to the hospital in a critical condition but could not be saved and succumbed shortly after. Several others were also injured in the fight and admitted to the hospital, with some in serious condition. Radhika’s body was moved to Sihor Government Hospital for a postmortem. After the killing, crowds gathered in Sihor, and the police rushed to the scene. Tight security has been deployed, and the case is under investigation. The police registered a murder case against six individuals—Arif, Ashraf, Arman, Irfan, Ameen, and Adil—and have arrested all of them. According to reports, Lashkarbhai Baraiya had no son or daughter, so he had adopted his younger brother Jagdish Baraiya’s daughter, Radhika.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
In this case, a 16-year-old Hindu girl was killed after intervening to protect her uncle during a violent altercation in Sihor, Bhavnagar, involving a Muslim mob. While the attackers have been identified and arrested, the available details do not clearly indicate that the murder was motivated by religious animosity. The incident appears to have escalated from a personal dispute between Arif Allarkha and the former village head, Lashkarbhai Baraiya, with the girl tragically caught in the crossfire. It is possible that the crime was primarily opportunistic, arising from the immediate conflict rather than targeting the victim because of her religion. While the perpetrators and the victim belong to different communities, there is no direct evidence suggesting that the girl was singled out due to her Hindu identity. The fatal attack seems to have occurred in the heat of the moment, rather than as part of a premeditated religiously motivated act. Given the current information, the motive behind the incident remains unclear. There is no statement from the victim’s family or investigative authorities indicating a religious motive. Therefore, this case has been placed in the 'Undecided' database. If further evidence emerges suggesting that the murder was driven by religious animosity, it can later be reclassified and included in the Hate Crime database.
Victim Details
Total Victim
1
Deceased
1
Gender
- Male 0
- Female 1
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 0
Caste
- SC/ST 0
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 1
Age Group
- Minor 1
- Adult 0
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 0
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 5 to 10
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
