Hate crimes against Muslims reported across India during Ramadan

NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A string of violent incidents targeting Muslims has been reported across several Indian states during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, raising concern among civil rights advocates who say the attacks reflect a troubling pattern of anti-Muslim violence.

The incidents — including killings, shootings and communal clashes — were documented in many northern Indian states which are ruled by Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party,  such as Bihar, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

In Bihar’s Madhubani district, a Muslim woman identified as Roshan Khatoon was allegedly beaten to death by a mob after she approached a village leader seeking help in a dispute. Local accounts cited in the report said she was tied to a pole and assaulted by a group of people before later dying from her injuries.

Another incident occurred in the industrial town of Bhiwadi in Rajasthan, where 28-year-old truck driver Aamir Khan was shot dead in the early hours of March 2 while transporting fruit to Delhi. His family alleged that individuals linked to cow-protection vigilante groups targeted him while he was waiting near a mosque with his vehicle.

Communal tensions were also reported in parts of Uttar Pradesh, including Shahjahanpur, where clashes broke out after colored powder used during the Hindu festival of Holi — which overlapped with Ramadan this year — was allegedly thrown at Muslim residents, triggering stone-throwing and injuries on both sides.

In Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, a 13-year-old Muslim boy identified as Unaiz Khan was reportedly shot during an altercation while he was observing the Ramadan fast. Local reports said the suspect was related to a regional political figure.

Separately, in Bihar’s Darbhanga district, a 65-year-old Muslim man named Abdul Salam was reportedly lynched after he attempted to stop a group of young men from using anti-Muslim slurs.

Civil rights advocates say the clustering of such incidents during Ramadan has intensified anxiety within Muslim communities. Ramadan is traditionally a period of fasting, prayer and spiritual reflection for Muslims worldwide.

Aasif Mujtaba, founder of the humanitarian organization Miles2Smile, said the group has spent years assisting victims of anti-Muslim violence and hate crimes, including families affected by mob attacks and communal killings.

Mujtaba said Ramadan should ordinarily be a time of peace and spiritual focus, but many Muslims increasingly feel anxious about their safety during the holy month. He said his organization frequently finds itself responding to victims of violence rather than focusing on community welfare work.

He also argued that Muslim communities often feel a deep sense of frustration and helplessness when attacks occur without visible accountability, adding that repeated incidents raise questions about whether justice is applied equally in such cases.

Another civil rights advocate, Nadeem Khan of the Association for Protection of Civil Rights, said mob violence and hate crimes should not be viewed as isolated incidents. According to Khan, such attacks reflect a wider climate in which Muslims are often portrayed as outsiders or treated with suspicion.

Khan said stronger enforcement of laws against mob violence and action against hate speech are essential to curb the trend. He added that recurring attacks during Ramadan have heightened concerns among Muslims who simply wish to observe their religious practices peacefully.

India is home to more than 200 million Muslims, making it one of the largest Muslim populations in the world. Analysts say addressing mob violence and ensuring accountability remain key challenges in maintaining communal harmony in the country’s religiously diverse society.