Hindu man preparing for religious procession hit by vehicle driven by Muslims
Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India 
2 February, 2025
Case Summary
A violent clash erupted between two groups in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, at the Reedganj intersection. The incident occurred when a man involved in preparations for a religious procession was hit by a vehicle driven by Muslims. The collision led to an argument, which quickly escalated into a physical fight. Passersby captured the incident on video and shared it on social media. According to reports, the preparations were underway for a procession at the newly built Shiv-Hanuman temple in Sahabganj, followed by a Jagran. During these preparations, a man went out to buy goods when a car struck him. Instead of assisting the injured man, the driver started abusing him, which led to further tensions. The situation intensified as more people from both groups joined in the altercation, leading to chaos in the area. Only one constable was seen attempting to control the situation. The police later confirmed that the victim was the nephew of Rakesh Vaidya, the president of the Shiv-Hanuman temple. In response to the complaint, authorities arrested three individuals involved in the assault.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case is being placed in the Undecided database rather than the Hate Crime database due to a lack of conclusive evidence, despite strong suspicion of religious motivation. There is a well-documented precedent of Muslims attacking Hindu devotees out of animosity toward their faith, particularly during religious events where Hindus are easily identifiable. Devotees have frequently been targeted while worshipping in temples, conducting religious processions, or performing bhajan-kirtan and puja at home. In this case, a Muslim driver hit a Hindu man involved in a religious procession and, instead of assisting him, began abusing him. It is possible that the attack stemmed from hatred for Hindu religious practices, given the history of such incidents. However, without further details confirming that the attack was religiously motivated rather than a general altercation, it cannot yet be classified as a hate crime. If more evidence emerges establishing that the assault was driven by religious bias, it will be moved to the Hate Crime database.
Victim Details
Total Victim
1
Deceased
0
Gender
- Male 1
- Female 0
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 0
Caste
- SC/ST 0
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 1
Age Group
- Minor 0
- Adult 1
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 0
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
