Hindus celebrating Holi attacked by Muslims with bombs and stones
Bara Banki, Uttar Pradesh, India 
13 March, 2025
Case Summary
In Ramnagar, Barabanki, on the night of Holi, Hindus were celebrating and dancing to DJ music when someone from the Muslim community threw a bomb at the gathering, injuring many Hindus. According to Dainik Bhaskar, following this attack, a communal clash broke out between the Hindus and the Muslims the next day. During this, bricks and stones were hurled at each other. The police were informed, and the police station in-charge, Ajay Kumar Tripathi, reached the scene and took action. They attempted to control the situation, but it escalated. As a result, the police took strict measures and arrested 42 people, including a dozen of Muslim women. All the accused were first taken to the Community Health Centre in Ramnagar. After medical examination, they were sent to the Sub-District Magistrate's Court on suspicion of breaching the peace.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been categorised as a hate crime against Hindus in the Hinduphobia tracker under two primary categories, given the clear religious markers that establish its targeted nature. The first is- Attack not resulting in death and within this, the sub-categories selected are- Attacked for Hindu identity, and Communal Clash/Attack. 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 second category selected is- Restriction/ban on Hindu practices. Under this, the sub-category selected is- Restriction on expression of Hindu identity. An example of the state-affected prejudicial and targeted orders against the Hindu community would be a government denying the right of a Hindu or a group of Hindus to hold a religious procession owing to the animosity of non-Hindu groups. Denial of the religious right of the Hindus to assuage the non-Hindu group which harbours animosity to a point where it could lead to violence against Hindus is not only a failure of law and order but is a prejudicial order against Hindus, denying them their fundamental rights to express their religious identity. An example of a hate crime against Hindus by a non-Hindu would be a non-Hindu institution forcing its Hindu employees to abandon religious symbols that a Hindu would wear as an expression of faith owing to inherent prejudice against the faith professed by the victim or a non-Hindu group of people restricting a Hindu group from constructing a place of worship simply because the demography of the area in which the temple is being built is dominated by non-Hindus. Such actions are driven by religious animosity and/or prejudice against Hindus and their faith and would therefore be categorized as a hate crime. Here, the victims were attacked solely because they were Hindus engaging in preparations for Holi—a festival deeply rooted in Hindu tradition. The perpetrators did not simply oppose a public gathering but explicitly attacked the Hindu festival itself, reinforcing the religiously motivated nature of the crime. The stone pelting was not merely an act of physical violence but a direct attempt to curtail the religious and cultural rights of Hindus. Holi, a festival celebrated with joy and colour, symbolises the triumph of good over evil and is an integral part of Hindu religious and cultural identity. The attempt to disrupt Holi celebrations demonstrates an intent to create an environment where Hindus feel unsafe practising their faith—a clear marker of religious persecution. Given these aspects, this case has been added to the Hinduphobia tracker, as it exemplifies a deliberate attack on Hindu identity and an attempt to impose restrictions on Hindu religious practices through coercion and violence.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 10 to 100
Perpetrators Gender
both
Sources 
