In a shocking incident, Bajrang Dal workers were brutally attacked by dozens of Islamist radicals in Madhya Pradesh’s Damoh. The attack occurred after the Bajrang Dal workers exposed a cow smuggling racket in the area. Some of the workers were seriously injured and had to be hospitalized.

According to reports, the Bajrang Dal workers had alerted the police about a large-scale cattle smuggling operation involving a container. When the police investigated, they found that the reports were true and that several cows were indeed being smuggled.

In retaliation, a mob of around 50 people, led by individuals like Mursalin Kursi, Shahid Takla, and Chhota Kallu, attacked the Bajrang Dal workers at a dairy shop. The attackers used knives, swords, and other dangerous weapons during the assault.

In response to the attack, members of the Hindu organization gathered at the police station to protest the violence. They demanded a thorough investigation into the incident. The police assured them of a proper investigation, after which the protesters dispersed.

This incident is part of a growing trend of anti-Hindu violence in Damoh. Earlier, hundreds of Muslims had stormed into a police station and threatened violence against Hindus following a dispute between a Muslim tailor and a Hindu customer.

Cases of anti-Hindu activities reported in Damoh

Damoh has become a hotspot for anti-Hindu activities, with numerous incidents reported, including attacks on Gaurakshaks, cases of conversion, Islamic Love Jihad, and Christian conversion.

• Hindu organizations held protests against illegal cow slaughter on 2 January. They accused the Damoh police and collector’s office of having a nexus with the illegal cow slaughter business, highlighting the failure to act against the Parwez Kasai gang that attacked a police officer.

• The incident involves the Ganga Jamuna School in Damoh, where purported posters of non-Muslim girls wearing hijabs went viral on social media. This led to allegations of religious conversion. The school’s registration was suspended due to various lapses, and arrests have been made in connection with the case, including the principal. The NCPCR has summoned the district collector regarding the matter.

• An unidentified criminal vandalized a Bajrang Bali murti in a temple in the Patera police station area of Damoh, Madhya Pradesh, on 8 April 2023. Local Hindus are upset and angry over the incident, which appears to be a hate crime. Police arrested a couple of locals from the vicinity of the temple, and the incident sparked outrage in the community.

• NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo filed an FIR against ten individuals connected to a Christian Missionary organization in Damoh for illegal conversions of children. Kanoongo’s surprise inspection of an orphanage revealed suspicions of conversion activities, with evidence possibly being removed. The NCPCR chief accused local child welfare officials of being complicit and negligent, leading to the delay in lodging the FIR. An investigation was lodged and the accused were charged under various IPC and Juvenile Justice Act sections.

• In Damoh, a case of love jihad involved a 42-year-old man named Mubarak Khan and a 22-year-old woman named Shruti Tiwari. Khan, reportedly married with three children, took Shruti away in mid-December. They later agreed to live together and possibly marry in a Shariah-compliant Nikah ceremony. After protests, Shruti was returned to her parents. Hindu groups expressed concerns about love jihad campaigns in the area.

• Damoh reported another case of love jihad involving a man named Shahnawaz Khan, accused of repeatedly raping a 20-year-old Hindu girl and pressuring her to convert to Islam for marriage. The incident reportedly occurred over the past one and a half years, with the victim undergoing a medical examination and an FIR being registered by the police. Further investigation into the matter is underway.

• Last June, controversy erupted over Damoh’s Ganga Jamna School’s policy of making Hindu and Jain students wear Hijab and recite Islamic prayers like ‘Surah-Al-Fatiha.’ After the Chief Minister assured a detailed investigation, the issue gained national attention in late May, leading to arrests, including that of the principal. Hindu families expressed concern over their children being influenced towards Islam, with reports of 350 Hindu students participating in Islamic prayers at the school.

• Last April, cow smugglers attempted to take away a calf near Damoh’s station square. When locals caught them and protested, the smugglers attacked the locals, raising religious slogans. Police deployed heavy force to control the situation, and extra forces were stationed in the city. The incident occurred on the night of 19 April, and although no names were mentioned, police took action to address the issue.

• Christian Evangelical activities have also been reported from Damoh repeatedly. In December 2022, six Christians Evangelists involved in conversion activities fled to Kerala to avoid arrest by the MP police. They were accused of forcibly converting and molesting minor girls. Hindus in Damoh filed complaints against the missionary NGO Ishu Sanstha, alleging forced conversions and abuse. While two individuals were arrested earlier, six others are reportedly on the run. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) intervened, suspecting local authorities of aiding the accused and sought disciplinary action against them.