Hindus attacked by Muslim mob over demands of removal of Mughal tyrant Aurangzeb's tomb; fake Quran burning rumours

Case ID : f66490e | Location : Nagpur, Maharashtra, India | Date of Incident : Sun, 16 March, 2025

Case ID : f66490e

Nagpur, Maharashtra, India

16 March, 2025

Hindus attacked by Muslim mob over demands of removal of Mughal tyrant Aurangzeb's tomb; fake Quran burning rumours

Attack not resulting in death

Attacked for Hindu identity

Attacked over 'Blasphemy'

Communal clash/attack

Case Summary

In Nagpur, Hindus were attacked by Muslim mobs following demands by Hindu organisations for the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb in Sambhaji Nagar. The violence escalated after rumours spread that Hindu groups had burned the Quran during protests against the tomb. Citing this as the reason for their anger, Muslim mobs launched a violent attack on the Hindu community, leading to further communal clashes. According to media reports, Muslim mobs pelted stones, vandalised Hindu properties, and torched vehicles. The violence initially broke out in Chitnis Park and Mahal areas before spreading to Kotwali. OpIndia reported that nearly 15 police officials and 5 civilians were injured, while India Today stated that 30 personnel sustained injuries, and 25 bikes and 3 cars were set on fire. To control the situation, the police imposed Section 144 in the violence-hit areas. Tear gas was used, and police carried out a baton charge to disperse the mob. According to OpIndia, an eyewitness named Ram Mohan (name changed) recounted his experience, stating that while returning from the railway station after dropping off his wife, he encountered a mob of 500-600 Muslims at Mahal, chanting "Allahu Akbar" and "Labaik Ya Rasool Allah". He further described how the mob began stone-pelting, and one of the stones hit his car. "They were in the hundreds. One of the stones struck my car. But since they all looked angry and agitated, I quietly skirted around them and returned home," he said. Pravin Datke, the BJP MLA from Nagpur Central, visited the violence-hit area and described the riots as a pre-planned attack on Hindus. He stated, "This entire incident was premeditated. After an agitation yesterday morning, an incident occurred at Ganesh Peth police station, but everything seemed normal afterwards. Later, the mob specifically targeted Hindu houses and shops. First, they destroyed all CCTV cameras before carrying out the violence with weapons in an organised manner." Datke pointed out that among four shops—two owned by Hindus and two by Muslims, out of which only the Hindu-owned shops were set on fire. He also highlighted that a cart belonging to an elderly Hindu woman was destroyed, while a nearby Muslim vendor’s cart remained untouched. Furthermore, he accused the police of failing to protect Hindu victims, instead suggesting that the Muslim mob came from outside the area. Nagpur MP Nitin Gadkari urged citizens to maintain peace and remain calm, assuring that the government would take strict action against the rioters. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also appealed for peace and urged people to cooperate with the administration. Meanwhile, Maharashtra BJP chief and minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule asked citizens to prioritise peace and refrain from spreading rumours. According to an India Today report, the police have arrested nearly 60-65 rioters after identifying them.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added to the tracker as a religiously motivated hate crime under the prime category 'Attack not resulting in death'. Under this, the first sub-category 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 second sub-category selected here is- Attacked over 'Blasphemy'. Blasphemy essentially refers to the desecration of anything which is held sacred/holy to a group of people. However, for religious supremacist groups, the elements of ‘blasphemy’ are ever-changing, shifting and expanding – leading to infringement on the rights of other religious groups, freedom of speech and expression, threats and even physical violence. There are instances where blasphemy is also used as a dog whistle to target Hindus owing to intrinsic animosity towards Hinduism. There are several instances where stating truths as mentioned in the non-Hindu doctrine itself has led to unmitigated violence against Hindus. There have also been instances where non-Hindus have themselves created a ‘blasphemous’ situation, like placing a Quran in a temple, to use it as an excuse to attack Hindus. Essentially, Blasphemy charges are often made up and/or are used to shut down any form of criticism of non-Hindu faiths and as a tool to target Hindus. Any physical violence over Blasphemy charges against Hindus are foundationally based on animosity for Hindus and their faith owing to religious supremacist ideologies, therefore, such attacks would be documented as religious motivated hate crimes under this category. The third sub-category under which this case has been placed 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. Here, the Muslims specifically targeted Hindus, their homes, and businesses. The attack was not indiscriminate but rather focused on Hindu-owned properties, while Muslim-owned establishments in the same areas remained unharmed. An eyewitness pointed out that among four shops—two owned by Hindus and two by Muslims, out of which only the Hindu-owned shops were set on fire. He also highlighted that a cart belonging to an elderly Hindu woman was destroyed, while a nearby Muslim vendor’s cart remained untouched. This selective targeting underscores the communal and religious nature of the aggression. Furthermore, the violence was fuelled by false rumours that Hindu groups had desecrated the Quran. Such baseless accusations have historically been used to incite mobs against Hindus, leading to large-scale attacks under the guise of retaliation. As seen in several cases, this law is often used as a tool of oppression and violence, leading to false accusations, mob justice, and social ostracisation of Hindus. This law, which is liberally used in Muslim-majority countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh to attack minority Hindus residing there, has become increasingly common in India too, where bloodthirsty Islamists often twist and use these laws to settle their scores with Hindus. The misuse of blasphemy laws against Hindus is often motivated by religious prejudice. Hindus are targeted because of their religious identity. It is important to note that the incident escalated into a widespread riot, with Muslim mobs engaging in stone-pelting, arson, and vandalism. The organised nature of the violence, with CCTV cameras deliberately destroyed beforehand, suggests a premeditated plan rather than a spontaneous reaction. The fact that Islamic religious slogans like "Allahu Akbar" and "Labaik Ya Rasool Allah" were chanted during the attack further highlights that this was not merely a law-and-order issue but an act of religious intolerance and hostility towards Hindus. By chanting such aggressive Abrahamic religious slogans, the Islamists intend to display religious supremacy and/or intimidate Hindu devotees. The aggressive chanting of Abrahamic slogans such as "Allahu Akbar" during acts of violence underscores how religiously motivated aggression is justified in the name of Allah. This pattern is evident in numerous incidents where Muslim mobs launch attacks against non-Muslims, using religious slogans as both a battle cry and a means of legitimising their actions. The invocation of such slogans amid stone-pelting, arson, and communal riots reflects the deeply ingrained belief among radical elements that their violent actions align with divine will. By framing their aggression as a religious duty, they not only dehumanise their victims but also incite further violence, creating an atmosphere where hatred against non-Muslims is normalised. This dangerous mindset fuels unprovoked attacks, as seen in cases where Hindus are targeted for practising their faith, celebrating their festivals, or even demanding historical accountability. The deliberate and systematic nature of such attacks exposes an underlying pattern of religious intolerance, where violence is sanctified under the guise of faith-driven retaliation. The inclusion of this case in the tracker serves as crucial documentation of anti-Hindu aggression, targeted communal violence, and the use of fabricated 'blasphemy' allegations to justify attacks on Hindus.