Saraswati idol immersion procession attacked by Muslim men, several Hindu devotees including women injured
Ramgarh, Jharkhand, India 
3 February, 2025
Case Summary
A group of Muslims attacked devotees participating in a Saraswati idol immersion procession in Ramgarh. The attack took place in Gola, leading to injuries among the devotees, including women. A video of the incident circulated online, showing a confrontation between the attackers and the devotees. Stones were pelted by Muslims on the devotees participating in the procession. Former Chief Minister and BJP leader Babulal Marandi condemned the incident on social media, stating that two devotees sustained injuries in the attack. He expressed concern over the police inaction despite the accused being clearly visible in the video. Marandi recalled a past incident where one Rupesh Pandey was killed during a similar immersion procession and questioned whether the administration was waiting for another such tragedy. He accused the state government of allowing such disturbances due to its appeasement policies. He demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible, questioning why certain individuals were being given the freedom to create unrest. Ramgarh police stated that they had taken cognizance of the matter and were taking legal action against the accused.
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 first sub-category selected is- Attack on religious precession. 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 chosen 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 third sub-category under which this case has been placed is- Communal clash. 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. The unprovoked attack on Hindu devotees participating in the Saraswati Puja immersion procession in Ramgarh reflects a pattern of religious intolerance. Stone-pelting by members of the Muslim community specifically targeted a Hindu religious event, disrupting the peaceful observance of a sacred festival. This aggression is not an isolated event but part of a broader pattern where Hindu religious gatherings are deliberately attacked, signalling a deep-rooted hatred for Hinduism and its traditions. By launching the first attack, the perpetrators displayed hostility toward Hindus and their religious expressions. Such attacks are not merely acts of physical violence; they are intended to intimidate and suppress Hindu religious identity, making them a form of symbolic aggression. The past killing of Rupesh Pandey during a similar immersion procession serves as a grim reminder that these incidents cannot be dismissed as mere clashes but as targeted acts of religious hate. Since religious intolerance is the primary purpose behind this incident, this case has been added to the hate tracker.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
