Hindu religious event attacked, Hindu children subjected to violence over singing Ram bhajan in Kerala
Kozhikode, Kerala, India 
13 September, 2025
Case Summary
In Kozhikode, Kerala, a Hindu religious event and procession held for Krishna Jayanti, also known as Krishna Janmashtami celebrations, was brutally attacked by Communist goons belonging to the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Across Kerala, Krishna Jayanti, alias Janmashtami, is one of the most vibrant festivals, with thousands of children taking part in colourful Shobha Yatras, dressed as Krishna and Radha. These processions symbolise joy, innocence, and devotion. This year, on 14th September 2025, thousands gathered for similar celebrations throughout the state. According to media reports, during the celebrations in Kozhikode, Hindu children dressed as little Krishna and Radha were violently attacked by CPI(M) cadres. The procession was organised by Balagokulam, the world’s largest children’s movement. This event and procession turned violent when communist goons stormed the peaceful Shobha Yatra simply because a devotional bhajan on Lord Ram was being sung. In Narippatta near Kozhikode, the procession was proceeding peacefully until the Ram bhajan began. The CPI(M) cadres became enraged and attacked the procession, leaving several injured, including young children and their parents. The videos of the incident spread rapidly across social media platforms, provoking widespread outrage. Vishnuvardhan Reddy, the state vice president of the BJP in Andhra Pradesh, stated on his X (formerly Twitter) handle: "In Kozhikode, small children joyfully celebrating Janmashtami as little Krishnas and Radhas were brutally attacked by CPI(M) goons. Communist cadres stormed the yatra, assaulting even children, all because a Ram bhajan was being sung. This is not merely intolerance; it is barbarism. The Communists in Kerala have sunk so low that they cannot tolerate innocent children celebrating Hindu festivals."
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The primary category selected in this case is- Attack not resulting in death. Within this, the subcategory selected 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 subcategory selected 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. The other subcategory 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 case constitutes a hate crime against Hindus for several clear reasons. Firstly, it is important to highlight that although the perpetrators were Communists and not a non-Hindu religious group, the violence was directly targeted against Hindus because of their religious identity and because they organised a Hindu religious procession singing devotional Hindu songs. This clearly demonstrates that the attack was motivated by animosity towards the Hindu faith and its practices, and as a whole, against the Hindu community. Therefore, despite the perpetrators belonging to a non-religious political group, the attack was motivated by hatred for Hinduism. Secondly, the attack was an assault on a Hindu religious procession commemorating Krishna Janmashtami, also known as Krishna Jayanti, which is one of the most important and vibrant festivals in the Hindu calendar. Krishna Janmashtami celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who is revered for his teachings on righteousness, devotion, and moral integrity. The festival features joyous processions, devotional songs, fasting, and prayer, symbolising deep spiritual and cultural significance for millions of Hindus. The violent disruption of this sacred event by Communist perpetrators reveals a deliberate attempt to undermine and disrespect Hindu religious traditions and religious expression, thus showcasing religious animosity towards the Hindu community. Thirdly, the attack was specifically targeted at the victims because of their Hindu identity. The violence was instigated by the singing of a Ram bhajan—a devotional Hindu song—which enraged the Communist assailants and triggered the violent attack. This clearly shows that it was the Hindu faith and identity of the victims that acted as the catalyst and motivating factor behind the violence. Such targeted actions underline a deep-seated hostility towards the Hindu community and qualify the incident as an anti-Hindu hate crime. Moreover, the attack was launched upon Hindu devotees, including children, who were brutally injured, illustrating the perpetrators’ utter disregard for the dignity and life of Hindus. This brutal assault reflects the profound hatred the Communist perpetrators harbour against Hinduism and its followers, making it a crime motivated by animosity towards Hinduism. Given that all these factors meet the criteria of a hate crime against Hindus, this case is being added to the hate crime database in the Hinduphobia Tracker.
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