Chaitra Navratri began on Sunday, March 30, with massive gatherings of devotees at temples across the country. However, an alarming incident occurred in Darbhanga, Bihar, where Hindu devotees returning from a Durga temple were brutally attacked with stones. Shockingly, members of the Muslim community, including women, were seen pelting stones from rooftops.
A video has surfaced showing this disturbing act of violence, with the house from which the attack was launched belonging to a man named Alauddin. The incident took place in the Kusheshwarsthan police station area, under Kewatgama Panchayat, Darbhanga. As per reports, 6 accused have been arrested while around 45 miscreants have been booked in this incident.
This attack on Hindu devotees is not an isolated event, it is part of a growing and deeply concerning pattern. Year after year, incidents of violence against Hindus during their festivals have been on the rise, yet there is a shocking lack of serious action from authorities.
The stone-pelting incident on the very first day of Navratri has once again exposed the unchecked radicalism that is disrupting communal harmony. The devotees were peacefully returning home after setting up a Kalash at the Durga temple when, without provocation, they were attacked by members of the Muslim community. Several devotees were injured, and eyewitnesses confirmed that the attack originated from the roof of Mohammad Alauddin’s house.
Chaos ensued, people ran in panic, and many fell, sustaining injuries. This blatant aggression in Darbhanga during a religious event is not just an attack on individuals but an attack on the very fabric of Hindu culture and religious freedom.
Former Panchayat head Alok Kumar alias Vikas Kumar strongly condemned the incident, stating that such attacks are systematically destroying village unity.
Kusheshwarsthan Police Station in-charge Rakesh Kumar Singh claimed the situation is under control, and SSP Jagunath Reddy urged people not to panic. This incident comes just weeks after a similar attack on Holi, where radical elements from the Muslim community targeted Hindus celebrating their festival. The increasing frequency of such attacks proves that these are not random altercations but a larger pattern of intimidation and targeted violence.
Following the stone-pelting incident, an FIR was filed against 45 individuals, and six accused have been arrested based on video evidence.
Also Read: Rising Islamist attacks on Hindu religious festivals in Jharkhand
Rural SP Alok revealed that the conflict started over the killing of a rooster during the religious event, escalating into stone-pelting between both groups. However, such justifications fail to address the core issue: why do Hindu festivals increasingly become the battleground for violence?
