Anti-Muslim violence erupted in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, after Hindutva activists threw firecrackers into homes of Muslims in the Chhatripura area.
According to a Kashmir Media Service report on Wednesday, the anti-Muslim violence, which resulted in several injuries, vehicle damage, and the desecration of religious sites, occurred during the Diwali celebrations.
Rashida Bi, a Muslim woman was injured in the violence. According to her, the dispute began when firecrackers were thrown into her home. ‘On the day of Diwali, our house was set on fire. Later, we extinguished it as we did not want to escalate the situation. The next day, they began throwing firecrackers in our house again. When we objected, a mob of 40 to 50 people appeared and started attacking a boy. When we tried to intervene, we were attacked with swords and other weapons,’ Rashida said.
The violence escalated when three women, including Rashida, were brutally beaten. One woman suffered a fractured leg. ‘We were beaten up, and there was no one to help. We went to the police to file a complaint, but when we arrived, around 300 people surrounded the police station, blocking our entry,’ Rashida continued.
Rashida identified the main culprits as Suresh Godla and his associates from Ravidaspur, stating the violence began after firecrackers were thrown into their home, including an incident where their house was set on fire.
According to local journalist Javed Alam, the situation worsened when members of Hindutva groups, such as VHP and Bajrang Dal, arrived in the area, shouting slogans to pressure the local administration. Instead of taking action against Hindutva culprits, police arrested Muslim men including Salman, Shanu, Faizal and Nadeem.