Hindu devotees attacked with stones as Hanuman Jayanti procession reaches a mosque
Guna, Madhya Pradesh, India 
11 April, 2025
Case Summary
A communal violence broke out in Guna district, Madhya Pradesh, when a Hanuman Jayanti procession was attacked with stones near the Colonelganj mosque. The incident occurred as the procession, which had begun from Shah Ke Kolhu Pura and passed through Hat Road, reached the vicinity of the mosque. Several individuals were injured in the attack, including the 11-year-old son of BJP councillor Omprakash Kushwaha. Tension rose quickly after slogans were exchanged between members of two communities, leading to the eruption of violence. Following the incident, video footage from the scene was examined by police officials to identify those responsible for the attack. Some individuals were seen pelting stones at the police, while others were engaged in clashes between the two groups. In response, police used mild force to disperse the crowd and restore order. The unrest led several young people to gather at Hanuman Chowk, where they blocked the road in protest and demanded strict action against those involved in the violence. Authorities assured the public that the situation was under control. Guna ASP confirmed that surveillance had been maintained throughout the night and some individuals had been detained based on video evidence. District Magistrate stated that two to three people had sustained injuries and that an FIR had been registered against four individuals. Both officials urged the public not to believe in rumours and affirmed that the administration was closely monitoring the area to maintain peace.
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 relevant here 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. The last sub-category relevant here is- Attacked for crossing 'Muslim area' One of the reasons that Hindus get attacked unprovoked specifically by Islamists is for crossing ‘Muslim areas’. Essentially, Muslim mobs often attack Hindus crossing or present in certain areas which have a majority Muslim population. It has often been cited as one of the reasons to blame Hindus for attacks against themselves, signalling that Hindus displaying religious symbols, taking our religious processions or crossing any area which is dominated by Muslim residents is a provocation in and of itself. These areas are mostly ghettoized areas where mobs mobilize quickly to attack Hindus for a variety of reasons like playing music during a religious procession, crossing a mosque, wearing a tilak or any other religious symbol in a Muslim-dominated area, praying at a local temple in that area etc. There have been cases where the few local Hindus of that area have been attacked on their way to the Temple for prayers as well, simply because the area is considered a Muslim-dominated area. Several times, it is entirely possible that the immediate trigger for the violence against Hindus was non-religious in nature, however, the violence became religiously motivated in nature because the area was Muslim dominated and the residents on the whole harboured animosity towards Hindus, evidenced from the actions of the mob, the slogans, and the nature of the attack. Such crimes are motivated by the religious identity of the victims and are therefore classified as hate crimes under this category. The attack on the Hanuman Jayanti procession in Guna qualifies as a hate crime as it targeted a religious activity central to Hindu practice. The procession involved a public and peaceful display of religious faith, which has long been an integral part of Hindu tradition. These acts reflect deep-seated animosity toward Hinduism and are fuelled by religious supremacist ideologies that consider Hindu practices inherently offensive or sinful. The very act of attacking a religious procession on a Hindu festival, particularly when it is peaceful and celebratory in nature, constitutes an attempt to suppress the free exercise of religion and is thus a form of religiously motivated violence. Furthermore, the attack fits within the broader pattern of targeting individuals solely for their Hindu identity. The victims in this case were identifiable as Hindu devotees engaged in a festival procession. Such visibility makes them easy targets for those harbouring hostility toward Hindu symbols and practices. Even when the stated cause of violence may seem circumstantial, like an exchange of slogans, the fact that it escalates into targeted violence against a group practising their faith shows that the root cause lies in religious intolerance. Given the circumstances and motivations, this attack is categorised as a hate crime driven by religious prejudice against Hindus. Moreover, since stones were hurled at the devotees, it becomes obvious that the attack was premeditated and carefully planned. The use of such weapons requires preparation, acquisition of materials, and coordination among participants, all of which suggest a deliberate and organised effort rather than a spontaneous act of violence.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
