Hindu pilgrims attacked: bus returning from Maha Kumbh targeted by stone-pelters in Bihar
Aurangabad, Bihar, India 
14 February, 2025
Case Summary
A bus carrying Hindu pilgrims returning from the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj to Kolkata was attacked by miscreants near Aurangabad, Bihar. The attackers, hiding behind roadside bushes, pelted stones at the moving vehicle, shattering its windows. BJP leader Dilip Ghosh condemned the incident, suggesting that anti-India forces were attempting to disrupt the Maha Kumbh. A video of the damaged bus, operated by Shyamoli Parivahan, showed broken windows, with a voiceover describing the sudden assault near Chatara while the bus was in motion.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case is added to the tracker under the primary category- Attack not resulting in Death. The 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. In this case, the pilgrims were attacked precisely while returning from a major Hindu religious gathering, the Maha Kumbh. This context is crucial because it establishes that the victims were identifiable as Hindus engaged in a religious journey. Their religious activity and identity made them a visible and easy target for the attackers. This satisfies the element that the violence occurred against individuals indulging in religious activity, thereby making it a hate crime. Secondly, Hindu devotees often face violence in such contexts because their religious symbols, practices, and gatherings are considered provocative by those driven by animosity towards Hinduism. In this case, the fact that the pilgrims were travelling back from the Kumbh was sufficient for the attackers to target them, indicating a bias-motivated selection of victims. Even if the immediate trigger might appear circumstantial, the very act of attacking devotees engaged in a religious journey constitutes a religiously motivated attack. Thirdly, stone-pelting on a moving bus carrying pilgrims does not merely amount to random mischief but is a calculated act of violence intended to instil fear and disrupt the free practice of religion. By attacking the devotees in transit, the perpetrators effectively sought to punish them for their participation in a Hindu religious event. Such violence directly hinders the constitutional right of Hindus to practice and propagate their faith freely. Finally, incidents of this nature must also be seen in the backdrop of religious supremacist ideologies that deem Hindu religious practices as objectionable or offensive. The targeting of Hindu pilgrims returning from one of the holiest events in their tradition indicates a deeper hostility towards Hinduism itself, not merely towards individuals. This intrinsic animosity transforms the incident from an isolated act of violence into a hate crime specifically aimed at Hindus and their religious identity. Disclaimer: It is important to clarify that the report does not specify the exact date when the incident happened. Therefore, for documentation purposes, we have recorded the date based on it was reported in the media.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
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