Hindu devotees attacked during Hanuman Jayanti procession by Muslim mob in Nepal
Narayani Zone, Nepal 
11 April, 2025
Case Summary
In Birgunj, Nepal, a Hanuman Jayanti procession was attacked. While the procession was passing through Shreeram Hall Chowk in Chapkaiya-3, it was attacked by a group of Muslims who pelted stones at the participants. The sudden escalation led to chaos in the area, with several individuals, including police personnel, sustaining injuries in the violence. The situation deteriorated further as attackers set fire to multiple vehicles, prompting the police to resort to tear gas in an effort to disperse the crowd and restore order. In response to the unrest, the District Administration Office in Parsa imposed a curfew from 6:30 pm on Saturday, which was set to remain in effect until 12 noon on Sunday, 13th April. The measure was introduced to prevent further violence and maintain public safety amid rising tensions. The curfew covered several areas including Bhediyahi Chowk, various wards of Birgunj Metropolitan City, Gandak Chowk, and Shankaracharya Gate. All movement was restricted in these zones, with residents advised to remain indoors. Checkpoints were established to monitor compliance and allow only emergency movement. Authorities confirmed that the curfew aimed to bring the situation under control and ensure peace in the region.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category- Attack not resulting in death. The sub-category relevant in this case is- Attack on religious procession. The outward celebration and display of religious symbols in an intrinsic part of Hinduism. Religious processions on various festivals are age-old traditions and a way to manifest faith and form a part of the religious practices of Hindus. On several occasions, such religious processions come under attack by non-Hindu mobs, in a manifestation of their animosity towards Hinduism and their practices. The reasons cited for such violent attacks are many and range from crossing a non-Hindu resident-dominated area to playing loud music, crossing from an area where there is a religious structure of another faith etc. The violent attacks are triggered by the outward display of religiosity by Hindus. The attacks are mainly a manifestation of religious supremacist doctrine which believes that idolatry, essentially the Hindu faith, is one that deserves to be annihilated since the very tenets of Hinduism, its practices and traditions are considered a sin in those doctrines. Since these attacks emanate from intrinsic and doctrinal animosity towards Hindus and Hinduism, it is considered a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. The other sub-category selected is- Attack against Hindu devotees. 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. This incident constitutes a hate crime as it involved a targeted attack on a peaceful religious procession marking Hanuman Jayanti, a festival of significant importance to Hindus. The attack, carried out by a Muslim mob, was not provoked by violence or unlawful activity, but rather triggered by the very presence and visibility of Hindu devotion in public. Such hostility, directed specifically at Hindu religious expression, reflects deep-rooted animosity towards the faith and its symbols, qualifying the incident as a religiously motivated hate crime. The victims in this case were Hindu devotees, clearly identifiable by their participation in the Hanuman Jayanti procession. They were attacked while engaging in a religious activity, which constitutes a direct violation of their right to religious freedom and safety. The fact that the attackers responded with violence to a display of Hindu religious identity, without any legitimate provocation, points to a motive rooted in religious supremacist ideology. This ideological intolerance, where Hindu beliefs and practices are viewed as offensive or sinful, fuels such acts of violence. Hence, the attack was not merely a disturbance of public order but a deliberate act of religiously motivated aggression, targeting individuals for their Hindu identity and practice.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
male
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