Basant Panchami (worship of Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom, knowledge and art) is celebrated on Shukla Panchami of Magh month all over the world including Bharat. This year also Basant Panchami (Saraswati Puja) was celebrated all over the world on 2-3 February 2025. Even this sacred festival has not escaped the trend of relentless attacks on Hindu festivals.
The irony of the matter lies in the two-fold attack, by both moderate and extremist anti-Hindu forces against Hindu festivals. On the one hand liberal-secular-Islamist cabal attacks Hindu festivals and transforms them into days when Hindus are restricted in the name of ‘security and maintaining communal harmony’. On the other hand the radical Islamists attack the Hindus, especially on the festival days with impunity. For many years now, we have been witnessing widespread attacks on Ram Navami, Hanuman Jayanti, Saraswati Puja and other festival processions across the country. We have seen how radical Islamists attack Hindus, and their apologists sitting in administration, government, media, and other institutions offer cover to them. This is nothing short of a systematic killing of festive spirit of Hindus.
This report presents a compilation of 25 cases of attacks by Islamists on Basant Panchami/Saraswati Puja mostly in Bharat and Bangladesh, and one incident from Nepal, during the years 2020 to 2025 based on this base report.
1. Hindu teacher beaten for celebrating Saraswati Puja in Nadiya West Bengal (2nd February 2025)
On the occasion of Basant Panchami in Harranghara block, a Hindu teacher who wanted to perform Saraswati Puja at ‘Daspol Danga’ primary school was brutally beaten by violent extremists. Local extremists attacked, abused and beat up the Hindu teacher. The mastermind behind the attack on the student was found to be an extremist named Alimuddin, who instigated the violence in the surrounding areas.
2. Ruckus on celebration of Saraswati Puja in Jharkhand (5th February 2025)
A video went viral on social media on the occasion of Saraswati Puja celebrations, in which it can be clearly seen that Islamist extremists, enraged by the Saraswati procession being taken in front of their houses by Hindus, attacked them. The murtis of the procession were damaged by the attack of the miscreants and many women and children involved in the procession were seriously injured.
3. ‘Islam Zindabad’ group pelts stones during Sarawasti Visarjan in Darbhanga, Bihar (15 February 2024)
In Muria of Bhalpatti police station area, Islamist extremists attacked the procession taken out to desecrate the murti of Maa Saraswati on the occasion of Basant Panchami. Not only this, to target Hindus, they attacked them with acid along with pelting of stones. The rioters had conspired to attack through an WhatsApp group “Islam Zindabad”. Darbhanga Police arrested Faizan, Mitab Alam, Abul Barik, Mohammed Abarda and other 10 religious extremists in this regard.
4. Stone pelting in Islamist area in Bhagalpur, Bihar (16 February 2024)
The murti of Maa Saraswati was to pass through Tahabalpur Mandal area of Lodipur and reach the ground. But, while passing through the Islamist area, a conflict started. People involved in the procession ran here and there. During this, the murti of Saraswati Mata was attacked. A police force was later deployed to assist in the visarjan of the murti of Saraswati Mata.
5. Procession attacked with lathi and sticks, and gunfire shot at Ranchi, Jharkhand (16 February 2024)
Hindus participating in the Saraswati Pratima Visarjan were going for the celebrations while dancing and singing through the main road of Nagdi. Meanwhile, as the procession passed in front of a mosque, a crowd started quarreling. The crowd ambushed the people participating in the procession and started lathi-charge and fired several rounds. Ranchi Police reached the spot and somehow drove away the miscreants, after which the procession moved forward.
6. Saraswathi Puja procession attacked for playing DJ music in front of mosque in Devghar, Jharkhand (16 February 2024)
In the village Chogankhar of Madhupur area, a huge crowd protested fiercely against the Hindu Saraswati Visarjan Yatra in the presence of administration. Children, old people and women were also attacked by the stone pelters. A victim, Jaydev Yadav told that the mob included people like Shahbudin Ansari, Habib and Azad, who were demanding to stop the DJ in front of the mosque. After this, the people present around the mosque started protesting.
7. Around 15 Hindus injured due to stone pelting during Saraswati murti visarjan in Darbhanga, Bihar (16 February 2024)
At a distance of just 200 yards from the police station in Beniparibera of Darbhanga, stone-pelters targeted the murti of Saraswati Mata by throwing stones. In this incident, Kumari Devaki Kumari, Guddu, Sahni, Reeti Devi, Kartik Kumar, Munna Ram and Kanaiya Ram along with about 15 men and women were injured. The procession of the murti was going from Baheda Bazar to Chhote Bazar. An attempt was being made to immerse the murti in a pond. Meanwhile, the Islamist crowd started throwing stones from the roofs near the temple.
8. Murti of Saraswati Maa broken, stones pelted on Shobhayatra in Jamtada, Jharkhand (27 January 2023)
During the Saraswati murti visarjan yatra of Dokidih village under Narayanpur, as soon as the procession reached near an Islamist area, the miscreants started a riot. In the resulting conflict many people including 2 policemen were injured.
9. Conflict during Saraswati Puja, Hindu youth Ankit murdered in Gopalganj, Bihar (27 January 2023)
During the Saraswati Puja Visarjan procession in Gopalganj, a violent mob attacked the Hindus with knives and severely injured two Hindu youths named Ankit and Hari Om. The former ultimately died on the spot after the attack. Hari Om was battling between life and death for several months in the hospital.
10. A minor Hindu boy beaten to death during Saraswati Pujar Visarjan in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand (6 February 2022)
During the Saraswati Puja Visarjan of the Dulmaha village of Barhi area, as soon as the procession reached Imambada, an Islamist mob first quarreled with 17 year old Rupesh Kumar Pandey and then beat him to death. The police has registered an FIR again 100 named persons in the case including a 27 year old Namzad.
11. Saraswati Visarjan procession attacked in Keshalpur, Dhanbad (7 February 2022)
During the immersion of Saraswati murti in Keshalpur area of Ramnali area, Islamist rioters attacked the procession with sticks. More than half a dozen Hindus gathered in the procession got injured in this attack. Hindus of the colony told that the rioters who were lying in wait during the procession suddenly attacked, due to which people were unable to defend themselves.
12. Visarjan procession attacked, gun fires shot at Hindu students in Patna (30 January 2020)
As soon as the Saraswati visarjan procession being taken out by Patna College students from Ashok Rajpath road reached Lalbagh area, a mob targeted them and opened fire. In the attack, Manoj Kumar and a constable along with several other students were injured. The mob created a ruckus and set fire to the people standing on the road.
13. Saraswati Visarjan procession dealt with heavy stone pelting in Godda, Jharkhand (31 January 2020)
During the Saraswati Puja festival in Beldiha village, a rioting Islamist mob created a ruckus on the procession. In the incident, two Hindu youths Uttam Kumar Paswan and Suprabhat Paswan were severely injured in the head while 4-5 others were also heavily injured. Taking action against the rioters in the case, police have registered a case against Lukman, Mohammed Ikram, Mohammed Murshid, Mohammed Kalim, Mohammed Saggo, Mohammed Israil, Mohammed Seraj and Bibi Gulshan.
14. Visarjan procession attacked with stones as it crossed a Masjid in Vidyasagar, Jharkhand (31 January 2020)
In Partol village, an Islamist crowd stopped the procession by expressing objection on carrying the murti with drums and music in the Saraswati puja day procession being taken out by the members of Puja Samiti. The procession moved ahead in the presence of police administration. In another similar incident, while passing near Khatbarari village, the people of the Islamist community expressed objection on the drums and playing of colors in the procession and stopped the procession and started a protest, after which the police had to protect the visarjan procession.
15. Saraswati puja pandal attacked, murti desecrated in Bauphal, Bangladesh (4 February 2025)
19 year old Hindu girl was sexually assaulted by a boy named Rehan in front of a crowd at a restaurant; the girl later went on to do suicide as she returned home. The victim had participated in a Saraswati puja after which she had gone to the resort with her friend. The accused 30 year old Rehan is the son of Mohsin Hawaldar who is the president of a local political party in Bauphal district.
16. Visarjan procession attacked by Islamist extremists in Rajshahi, Bangladesh (4 February 2025)
In Phudki Para village under Boyaliya Police Station, Islamist miscreants attacked the Saraswati murti visarjan procession being carried out by Hindus after Saraswati Puja on the occasion of Basant Panchami. The miscreants brutally beat up the Hindu women and broke the temple. Along with this, they also broke the murti of Maa Saraswati.
17. Saraswati puja mandap attacked, murti desecrated in Brahmanbaria, Bangladesh (14 February 2024)
In Paikpara area, barbaric Islamist miscreants attacked the Saraswati puja pavilion and vandalised the puja temple and the murti of Maa Saraswati. The rioters decapitated the murti and threw it away.
18. Hindu family attacked for inviting the Mayor to the Puja in Patuakhali, Bangladesh (17 February 2024)
Ram Chand Krindu, a resident of Puran Bazar area of Patuakhali, was threatened with death by the supporters of former Mayor Shafiqul Imam, angry over the invitation given to Moihuddin Ahmed, the nephew of a former Municipality Mayor. The victim Ram Chand Krindu said that the miscreants attacked his house with axes and sticks.
19. Islamist mob attacked Hindus and broke the Saraswati Mata murti in Netrakona, Bangladesh (26 January 2023)
Nishad, Faruq Miyan, Apu Miya, SM Munna Khan, Sabiqul Miyan and Anon Miyan, residents of Itanaiyan village of Naraich village of Mohanganj upazila attacked Hindu devotees in a puja temple and broke the murtis decorated for Saraswati puja. Two Hindus named Hriday Biswas and Shayan Sarkar were seriously injured in the attack by the miscreants. Bangladesh Police arrested 6 accused of violence.
20. Saraswati Mata murti attacked during visarjan in Chapainwabganj, Bangladesh (29 January 2023)
In Bargharia area of Chapainwabganj of Uttari district, some local Islamist students quarreled with Hindu youths preparing to for Saraswati puja and attacked them with sticks over playing music on the block. In the attack by extremist Islamist students of Labib Mess, Saraswati Mata’s murti was broken and many Hindus were injured. When Hindus complained to the administration, the police let them go saying that the students were annoyed with music during studies.
21. Muslim mob destroyed 35 murtis of Mata Saraswati in Dhaka, Bangladesh (22 January 2022)
Islamist mob destroyed the murti factory of Mr. Vasudev Pal and broke 35 Saraswati Devi murtis made for the upcoming Saraswati Puja. Victim Pal said that his father late Haridev Pal started the murti making project last year. These murtis were being made for Saraswati Puja to be held on February 5. But the violent mob destroyed almost all the murtis.
22. Miscreants desecrate Saraswati Mata murti in Dunot Upazila, Bangladesh (30 March 2021)
In Dhunot upazila of Bogura, miscreants vandalised the murti of Hindu goddess Saraswati in a temple. Sumoti Rani, the caretaker of the temple, said she went home after performing puja at around 1 am. When she returned at around 4 am, she found the temple’s fence and some of her clothes burnt. Inside the temple, the murti of Saraswati was destroyed with one of its arms broken.
23. Islamist rioters destroy Saraswati Mata’s murti in Dinajpur & Brahmanbaria, Bangladesh (31 January 2020)
The rioters vandalised two Saraswati murtis while attacking Hindus celebrating Saraswati Puja at Brahmanbaria and Dinajpur. The Saraswati murti prepared by Hindu students at Chatalpur Degree College in Nasirnagar upazila was vandalised by the rioters. In Dinajpur, Shahidul Islam, Azizul Islam, Sikandar Ali and Manik Mandal, accused of vandalising the Saraswati Puja pandal in Phulbari upazila, were taken into custody by the police.
24. Saraswati puja pandal attacked and burnt in Gopalganj, Bangladesh (1 February 2020)
Islamist miscreants carried out arson and attack targeting a Kali temple near the Kajuliya Palli Mangal school premises in Kajuliya Union. Kali temple’s president Bidhan Biswas said that the miscreants entered the Kali temple complex and used petrol to set fire to the murtis inside. The clothes and jewellery of four murtis were instantly destroyed in the fire.
25. Muslim mob became restless when Saraswati puja procession crossed it in Routahat, Nepal (15 February 2024)
In Rautahat district, a procession of Hindus going to immerse Saraswati murti in the river reached near a Masjid in Ishnath. Immediately, an Islamist mob tore the Bhagwa flag depicting Lord Rama and threw it in the gutter and vandalised the place. The miscreants said that the immersion of Saraswati Murti cannot take place in front of the Masjid. Naresh Kumar Paswan and 2 minor Hindu children involved in the immersion were injured.
