Hindu man's funeral procession attacked for passing through a 'Muslim area'

Case Summary
The funeral procession for a 40-year-old Hindu named Rajkumar Gupta was attacked by individuals belonging to the Muslim community. The Hindu man had died in Lucknow and his body had been brought to his ancestral house in Hardatt Nagar Girant village in UP's Shrawasti District. As the procession proceeded to the cremation ground, some participants took a path through land claimed by a Muslim man named Sadiq Ali. Sadiq Ali's wife confronted them. She started using abusive language and asserting ownership over the land. She told the Hindu participating in the procession that she would not allow them to pass through the area since it belonged to her husband. The confrontation escalated when she attacked a mourner with a stick, leading to a broader clash between the groups. Police arrived promptly, dispersing the assailants and restoring order. Two individuals involved in the verbal abuse were detained, and a formal complaint has been filed.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category of- Attack not resulting in death. Under this, the sub-category selected 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. This case exemplifies a religiously motivated hate crime because it demonstrates unprovoked aggression by a Muslim mob against Hindus peacefully participating in a funeral procession. The absence of any instigation from the Hindu mourners underscores that the attack stemmed purely from religious animosity rather than any situational conflict. The fact that the violence occurred as the procession crossed land owned by a Muslim individual points to a broader pattern of persecution that Hindus often face in Muslim-dominated areas. Such incidents highlight a doctrinal hostility toward Hindu practices, manifesting as targeted attacks. This case, therefore, reflects a clear expression of religious bigotry and qualifies as a hate crime rooted in anti-Hindu sentiment.

Case Status
Complaint filed

Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
both