Mob attacks Muslim iftar gathering in India

NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A group of Muslim men gathering to break their Ramadan fast was attacked by a large mob in western India, in an incident that activists say reflects deepening communal tensions and anti-Muslim hostility in parts of the country.

The assault occurred over the weekend near a lake in Oskarwadi village in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, according to police documents and local media reports. The area lies in the Purandar administrative division of Pune district, about 180 kilometers southeast of Mumbai, India’s financial capital.

The complaint filed with police states that a group of Muslim residents had traveled to the site to hold a small iftar gathering — the evening meal when Muslims break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan.

According to the first information report filed at Saswad Police Station, the group had brought food and fruits to share after sunset when a large crowd estimated at around 100 people arrived on motorcycles and began confronting them.

Police records cited in media reports say some members of the crowd were carrying wooden sticks and sharp weapons. The group allegedly questioned the presence of the Muslims, demanded to know why they had gathered there and made derogatory remarks before physically attacking several people.

Witness statements in the complaint say some attackers also ordered Muslim participants to remove their skullcaps — a traditional religious head covering worn during prayer and religious gatherings.

Several people were injured in the assault, according to accounts provided to police.

Authorities have registered a criminal case against between 100 and 150 unidentified individuals under multiple provisions of India’s criminal law and weapons regulations. Investigators have detained several local residents for questioning as part of the ongoing investigation.

Police said arrests may follow once the identities of those involved are confirmed.

Local officials told investigators that the site where the group had gathered was not formally designated as a religious venue, and some villagers reportedly said they had not previously seen Ramadan gatherings there in past years.

However, members of the Social Democratic Party of India, a political organization that advocates for minority rights, alleged that the attack was carried out by activists linked to Hindutva groups — organizations aligned with the Hindu nationalist ideology associated with India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Analysts and civil rights advocates have repeatedly warned of a rise in anti-Muslim rhetoric and violence in India in recent years, often linked to the growth of Hindutva politics and campaigns that portray Muslim religious practices and public gatherings as threats to the country’s Hindu-majority identity.