On 15 February, an Islamist mob pelted stones on a Hindu procession in Bihar’s Darbhanga district. As the procession, carrying a Maa Saraswati murti for immersion, passed through the Kasai Mohalla (Butchers’ Colony) in Muriya, an Islamist mob attacked it. The mob hurled stones, looted nearby houses, vandalized the area, and desecrated the Saraswati Devi vigraha. The procession was part of the Basant Panchami festival celebrations held on 14 February.

Several houses fell victim to vandalism and looting during the chaos, prompting Darbhanga District Magistrate Rajiv Roshan and SSP Jagunath Reddy to respond to the scene swiftly. The authorities deployed heavy security measures to restore peace in the area.

Reports suggest that the Hindu procession was peacefully heading for murti immersion in Tarasarai Muria Tola before a mob initiated stone-pelting as they passed through Kasai Mohalla, a predominantly Muslim area. The situation escalated quickly, resulting in clashes and the destruction of the Saraswati murti. Additionally, many homes belonging to local villagers were vandalized.

Upon receiving reports of the incident, a significant contingent of security forces from the district police arrived promptly. Police officials worked to diffuse the situation and ultimately facilitated the murti immersion. District Magistrate Rajeev Roushan stated that efforts are underway to identify the perpetrators, and strict legal action will be taken against those responsible for the violence and vandalism.

SSP Jagunath Reddy mentioned that the situation was controlled by deploying many BMP district police and personnel from several other police stations. Despite numerous injuries sustained during the stone-pelting, the situation is now stabilized.

This incident bears resemblance to a similar attack that occurred in Darbhanga on 22 January, when stones were thrown at the Shri Ram Shobha Yatra procession. Islamist mobs repeatedly pelt stones on Hindu shobha yatras and visarjan (immersion) processions.

Here are some recent instances of Islamist mob attacks on Hindu processions across Bharat:

1) In January, in a village called Sangthu in Bihar’s Jamui district, Hindu devotees participating in a procession celebrating the Ayodhya Shri Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha were attacked by Islamists.

2) In March, an Islamist mob pelted stones on a Ram Navami procession (Shobha yatra) in Vadodara District’s Panjrigar Mohalla of Gujarat. According to the reports, around 200-500 Muslims arrived on the street during the procession and began pelting stones at the procession and the Hindu participants.

3) A Ram Navami yatra in Howrah’s Shibpur area was pelted with stones from nearby terraces, leading to a clash between Hindus and Muslims. Arson and violence ensued, in which vehicles and shops were set on fire.

4) Islamists pelted stones and torched vehicles outside Kiradpura’s Ram Mandir in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. Reports also say an Islamist mob of about 500 to 600 people attacked Hindus for playing songs during namaz. Clashes were also reported from Jalgaon District as Islamists attacked a Shobha Yatra playing DJ music as it passed by a mosque in the district’s Paldhi.

5) In March, a mob of 200-250 Islamists attacked a Sheetla Mata Jagran organized at College Street in Central Kolkata. The matter came to light after West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari shared a video of this incident on social media to seek immediate action from the police.

6) This January, the immersion procession, which marks the conclusion of the Saraswati Puja festival, was attacked/marred with violence in various regions of Bihar like Gopalganj, Patna, Saharsa, Samastipur and Nalanda. As in past years, the auspicious Hindu festival was attacked in Jharkhand, too.

Islamists pelted stones on a Durga Puja visarjan procession in UP’s Sultanpur, injuring 20 people last October and on a Ganesh murti procession in Gujarat last September. Ram Navami processions came under attack across Bharat the previous year as well. The list of Islamist violence on Hindu festive occasions is endless, and the blind support they draw from the Hinduphobic cabal, including Abrahamo-Leftists, a section of the judiciary, and ‘secular politicians’ only emboldens them further.