Hindus attacked, their homes vandalised by armed Muslim mob during Diwali celebrations in Hooghly, West Bengal

Case ID : a049073 | Location : Hooghly district, West Bengal, India | Date of Incident : Sun, 19 October, 2025

Case ID : a049073

Hooghly district, West Bengal, India

19 October, 2025

Hindus attacked, their homes vandalised by armed Muslim mob during Diwali celebrations in Hooghly, West Bengal

Attack not resulting in death

Attacked for Hindu identity

Communal clash/attack

Attack on Hindu religious representations

Defiling religious customs

Hate speech against Hindus

Anti Hindu subversion and prejudice

Anti-Hindu Fake News or Downplaying

Case Summary

Hindus were attacked by Muslims in Telinipara, Hooghly district of West Bengal, on the night of Diwali (20 October 2025), also celebrated as Kali Puja in Bengal. The incident took place in a Dalit neighbourhood, where a Muslim mob launched a sudden and violent assault during the festival celebrations. There was chaos in the locality as the attackers stormed the area, pelting stones and wielding weapons. The violence disrupted ongoing Diwali festivities, leaving residents terrified and injured. According to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) West Bengal unit, the assailants were “jihadi elements” armed with swords, and one Rashtriya Swayamsevak (RSS) worker was seriously injured in the attack and later hospitalised. The BJP shared videos of the incident on X (formerly Twitter), accusing the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government of allowing extremist groups to operate with impunity. In its statement, the BJP alleged that despite being informed, the police did not intervene effectively, choosing to remain silent after identifying the attackers. The BJP further remarked that under Mamata Banerjee’s rule, the state had become unsafe for Hindus and warned that West Bengal was rapidly being transformed into “Western Bangladesh.” The violence in Telinipara added to a growing pattern of communal aggression in West Bengal, particularly during Hindu festivals and processions. However, local police denied the communal nature of the incident, claiming that the clash erupted merely over the bursting of firecrackers. They said one person had been arrested and urged the public not to spread rumours. The contrast between eyewitness accounts and the police version deepened mistrust among Hindu residents, who saw this as yet another instance of anti-Hindu violence being downplayed under political pressure.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

The primary category in this case is: Attack not resulting in death. The subcategory under this 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. Another subcategory under this is: Communal clash/attack. Communal clash is a form of collective violence that involves clashes between groups belonging to different religious identities. For a communal clash between Hindus and non-Hindus to qualify as a religiously motivated hate crime, the trigger of the violence itself would have to be anti-Hindu in essence. For example, if there is a Hindu religious procession that comes under attack from a non-Hindu mob and after the initial attack, Hindus retaliate in self-defence, leading to a communal clash between the two religious communities. While at a later stage, both communities are involved in the clash/violence, the initial trigger of the violence was by the non-Hindu mob against the Hindus and therefore, it could safely be termed as an anti-Hindu violence. Further, the trigger would also have to be religiously motivated. In the cited example, the attack by the non-Hindu mob was against religious processions and therefore, can be concluded to be religiously motivated. In some cases, the trigger may be non-religious, however, it develops into religious violence against Hindus at a later stage. In such cases too, the foundational animosity towards Hindus becomes the motivating factor of the crime and therefore, it would be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime against Hindus under this category. Another primary category in this case is: Attack on Hindu religious representations. The subcategory under this is: Defiling religious customs. Sanatan Dharma is not a religion of one book, which is to say that while it has religious scriptures that form the central tenets of the faith, there are several traditions followed through thousands of years, mostly passed from generation to generation orally. There are several such customs and traditions that are followed by various Hindus and Hindu sects. Defiling of these traditions and customs is a breach of an individual or group’s religious practices. Such practices can range from dietary restrictions like not eating non-vegetarian food for a certain period of the year, not eating non-vegetarian food at all, not eating beef since the cow is considered holy in Hinduism, the sanctity of religious customs followed in the house (like many ISCKON devotees), etc. Any malicious action leading to the breach of such traditions or defilement of these traditions owing to animosity towards the faith or for the sake of activism stems not only from the lack of faith in the religion itself but also from disregard for the faith of the devotees who follow the customs/traditions and implicit bias against the faith, the tradition itself. Since these specific traditions are central to the faith of the devotees of that specific sect of Hindus, any non-compliance with these traditional rules would be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. The other primary category selected here is- Hate speech against Hindus. Within this, the secondary category selected is- Anti Hindu subversion and prejudice. Further, the tertiary category relevant here is- Anti-Hindu Fake News or Downplaying. Hate speech is defined as any speech, gesture, conduct, writing, or display that is prejudicial against a specific individual and/or group of people, which is leading to or may lead to violence, prejudicial action or hate against that individual and/or group. Media plays a specific and overarching reach in perpetuating prejudicial attitudes towards a community owing to unfair, untrue coverage and/or misrepresentation/misinterpretation, selective coverage and/or omission of facts of/pertaining to issues affecting a specific religious group. This type of bias can dehumanise the victim group, making it easier for others to justify harmful actions against them, which aligns with the objectives of hate speech laws aimed at preventing such harm. It is often observed that the media takes a prejudicial stand against the Hindu community driven by their need to shield the aggressor community which happens to be a numeric minority, however, is the one perpetrating violence against Hindus. For example, the media is often quick to contextualise religiously motivated crimes against Hindus, omit or misrepresent facts that point towards religiously motivated hate crimes, justify and/or downplay religiously motivated hate crimes or simply present fake news to stereotype Hindus. Such media bias leads to the denial of persecution and is often used to dehumanise Hindus, leading to justification for violence against them. For example, the media covered several fake allegations of Hindus targeting Muslims and forcing them to chant Jai Shree Ram. Most of these cases were proved false and fabricated after police investigation. These fake news reports were subsequently never retracted or clarified. Such fake news led to the justification of violence and dehumanisation of Hindus based on the argument that since Hindus targeted Muslims and forced them to chant Jai Shree Ram, the dehumanisation of Hindus and violence against them was par for the course and merely a retaliation. Such media bias leads to prejudicial portrayal of Hindus and offers a justification for violence against them and therefore, is considered hate speech under this category. This case has been added to the Hinduphobia Tracker because it clearly represents a targeted act of anti-Hindu violence driven by religious animosity. The incident in Telinipara, Hooghly district, on the night of Diwali (20 October 2025), was not a random scuffle or neighbourhood dispute, but a deliberate assault on Hindus during one of their most sacred festivals. The victims, mostly from a Dalit Hindu locality, were attacked by a Muslim mob wielding swords and stones while they were celebrating Diwali and Kali Puja. The attackers disrupted a peaceful religious celebration, vandalised homes, and injured residents, turning a night of light and devotion into one of terror and destruction. The choice of timing—Diwali night—shows intent. The attackers struck when Hindus were engaged in worship and festivity, transforming a night of light into one of terror. Such acts are never about “noise” or “firecrackers”; they are about silencing Hindu presence and joy in spaces where Islamists wish to assert dominance. However, the West Bengal Police attempted to whitewash the incident, publicly describing it as a “minor dispute over bursting firecrackers.” This characterisation is not only factually untrue but a deliberate minimisation of a communal attack involving armed assailants. By doing so, the police trivialised the trauma of the victims and shielded the perpetrators, continuing a familiar pattern where violence against Hindus is systematically downplayed to protect political interests and avoid public outrage. Equally important is the religious nature of bursting firecrackers themselves. Firecrackers are not merely a form of entertainment—they are an inseparable part of the Diwali tradition, symbolising the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and the homecoming of Bhagwan Ram. They are a devotional expression, not a provocation. Even if the sound of celebration irritated some individuals, no grievance can justify mob violence against people practising their faith. To attack Hindus for following a centuries-old custom is to attack Hinduism itself. Eyewitness accounts confirm that the violence was one-sided and targeted, with the mob chanting religious slogans, damaging Hindu homes, and disrupting Kali Puja rituals. This was not a civic disturbance but an attempt to assert religious supremacy and intimidate Hindus into silence within their own locality. A third and equally significant aspect of this case is the defilement of Hindu religious customs, specifically the act of bursting firecrackers as part of Diwali and Kali Puja celebrations. For centuries, lighting lamps and bursting crackers have symbolised the victory of light over darkness and good over evil—an integral part of the Hindu religious tradition. The assault that occurred during this ritual was not only physical but also spiritual in nature, amounting to the desecration of a sacred practice. The mob’s violent interruption of these customs reflects contempt for Hindu faith and rituals. By framing the violence as a “firecracker dispute,” the police narrative trivialised the deep religious significance of the act and dismissed the right of Hindus to observe their customs freely and without fear. This misrepresentation serves as a secondary violation, first, the attack on the community; second, the denial of the religious nature of the crime. This pattern aligns with other communal attacks across West Bengal in recent years, where violence against Hindus has been systematically downplayed by authorities to prevent public outrage and protect the ruling establishment’s political interests. Such violence cannot be dismissed as spontaneous; it stems from a long-standing ecosystem of religious hostility where Islamist groups feel emboldened to attack Hindus with impunity, especially during Hindu festivals and processions. The state’s response to the Telinipara attack must also be viewed against the backdrop of the West Bengal government’s consistent political and religious bias. Under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the administration has repeatedly displayed leniency toward Islamist violence while suppressing Hindu assertion. From arresting Hindus for chanting “Jai Shri Ram”, to denying permissions for Hindu religious processions, and maintaining stoic silence whenever Hindus are attacked by Islamist mobs, the pattern is unmistakable. The police’s decision to label a brutal, armed assault on Diwali night as a “minor dispute over firecrackers” fits squarely within this long-standing trend of state-sponsored minimisation and selective justice. Such actions not only betray prejudice against Hindus but also embolden extremist elements, who now operate with confidence that their crimes will be politically shielded and publicly diluted. Taken together, the Telinipara attack exemplifies a pattern of religiously motivated violence against Hindus, where they are first assaulted for their identity, then blamed or ignored by state authorities, and finally denied recognition as victims. It underscores the growing climate of fear and marginalisation for Hindus in West Bengal, where festival days have increasingly turned into flashpoints for anti-Hindu aggression. The deliberate targeting of Hindu homes and the desecration of Diwali celebrations constitute an explicit act of Hinduphobia—an attempt to humiliate, intimidate, and silence a community for publicly practising its faith. Disclaimer: The report states that many Hindus were attacked by the Islamist mob; however, the exact number is not mentioned. The available information until writing this report was that one Hindu victim was seriously injured and hospitalised following the attack. Based on this information, the victim count has been kept as one. Should further verified details regarding additional victims or injuries emerge, this report will be reviewed and updated accordingly.