Ganesh Chaturthi procession attacked with stones near Masjid in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India 
4 September, 2025
Case Summary
A Hindu religious procession was attacked with stones near the Moti Masjid in Mahidpur, Ujjain district, Madhya Pradesh, on 05 September 2025, following objections from members of the Muslim community over a tableau in the Ganesh Sawari procession portraying the grave menace of 'Love Jihad,' highlighting how vulnerable Hindu women are being targeted by Muslim men who entice and mislead them, forcibly convert them to Islam, subject them to torture and sexual violence, and ultimately either kill or abandon them. The incident took place as the procession passed through the area, sparking tension. According to officials, the tableau featured effigies with a skull cap, beard, and burqa, which Muslim residents claimed hurt their religious sentiments and were used as a pretext to unleash violence against the Hindu procession and the devotees participating in the religious event. Local authorities, including the sub-divisional magistrate, assured them that their concerns would be addressed after receiving a formal complaint. Despite these assurances, some Muslim youths showered stones at the Hindu procession as it reached near the mosque. Ujjain District Police Superintendent Pradeep Sharma confirmed that police personnel escorting the procession were targeted. The situation was quickly brought under control with mild force, and additional forces were deployed in sensitive areas to prevent further escalation. A flag march was conducted, and the police stated that those involved in the attack have been identified, with an FIR process underway. The incident briefly disrupted the religious procession, which was being carried out peacefully before the attack.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The primary category in this case is: Attack not resulting in death. The first subcategory selected here 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 second 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. The other 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. This case has been added to the Hinduphobia Tracker because it illustrates a deliberate act of hostility targeting a Hindu religious procession, triggered by religious animosity. The attack took place when a Ganesh Sawari procession, a peaceful display of Hindu devotion, passed near the Moti Masjid and was subjected to stone-pelting by a group of masked Muslim youths. The tableau in question was not aimed at insulting or provoking any particular community but was meant to highlight the grave reality of Love Jihad, where Hindu women are lured, deceived, forcibly converted, and subjected to abuse. Instead of recognising this as a social issue being depicted in the procession, members of the Muslim community took it as a personal affront and used it as a pretext to unleash violence. By pelting stones at a Hindu religious event and targeting the devotees, the attackers not only disrupted a sacred celebration but also demonstrated hostility toward the Hindu faith itself. This act of aggression reflects how Hindu expressions of concern about threats to their community are silenced through intimidation, violence, and suppression of their right to highlight issues affecting them. It must be mentioned that the violence unfolded specifically when the Hindu religious procession passed near the mosque, a zone perceived by Muslim residents as their exclusive stronghold. Such attacks are rooted in a mindset of Islamic superiority, where Muslims in certain localities attempt to assert dominance by dictating what Hindus can or cannot do when moving through these areas. The targeting of a peaceful Ganesh Sawari procession, specifically when it crossed a Muslim-majority stretch, reflects the ghettoisation of public spaces, where Hindus are made to feel unwelcome or unsafe. This enforcement of territorial control is not just about objecting to a tableau, but about establishing that Hindu religious expressions cannot freely pass through Muslim-dominated pockets. It reveals a deeper pattern where communal aggressors try to reinforce boundaries of dominance, marginalising Hindus and undermining their right to celebrate and express their faith openly in any part of the town. Such actions are a direct assault on both religious freedom and social harmony, as they create an environment where Hindus are intimidated into avoiding areas marked by Muslim control. The fact that the Muslim community in the area chose to interpret the tableau as offensive and escalated their displeasure to physical violence indicates that the attack was not merely a reaction but an assertion of dominance over Hindu religious practices. By pelting stones at a peaceful procession, particularly in proximity to a mosque, the attackers demonstrated an organised and premeditated act of hostility, exploiting their religious sentiments as justification for violence. This is not a legitimate grievance but a strategy of intimidation, rooted in religious animosity. The broader historical and social context must also be considered. Across India, Hindu religious processions have frequently faced similar attacks, often at specific choke points such as near mosques or in Muslim-dominated areas. These patterns reveal an entrenched practice of asserting territorial and religious control by targeting Hindu gatherings, rather than genuine hurt sentiments. A tableau—even one addressing sensitive issues like “Love Jihad”—remains a symbolic and artistic commentary. It cannot rationally be construed as provocation or a trigger for violence because artistic or ideological disagreement should lead to debate or dialogue, not physical aggression.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
