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A sharp increase in anti-Muslim violence across India has been noted since the election results were announced on June 4, according to a report by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR). The report enumerates incidents of lynching, communal violence, and state-backed demolitions of Muslim homes after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), took power for the third time.

The APCR, an advocacy group of advocates, journalists, researchers, and paralegal volunteers, details eight lynching incidents post-elections:

On June 22, 23-year-old Salman Vohra was beaten to death while watching a cricket match in Chikhodra, Gujarat. In another incident on June 7 in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, three Muslim men from Uttar Pradesh—Saddam Qureshi, Chand Miya Khan, and Guddu Khan—were attacked by a Hindutva mob while transporting cattle. Two died on the spot, and one died after ten days. Additionally, on June 18, Aurangzeb alias Farid, a 35-year-old Muslim man, was beaten to death in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, sparking communal tension. Ten days later, the Aligarh police booked him and eight others for dacoity.

On June 24, a woman in Toylanka village, Chhattisgarh, was murdered after converting to Christianity. Her relatives alleged that local Hindu men, including family members, planned the brutal act. In Kolkata, two lynching incidents occurred within 24 hours. On June 28, 37-year-old Irshad Alam was beaten to death in Bow Bazaar, and just a day later, Prasen Mandal, 22, was lynched in Salt Lake.

Communal clashes and mob violence have also escalated:

In Medak, Telangana, communal tensions erupted on June 15 over cow transportation, with attacks on Minhaj ul Uloom Madrasa and a local hospital. In Odisha, Balasore experienced a week-long curfew after a scuffle over alleged cow slaughter on June 17. In Khordha, a Hindutva mob vandalized Muslim homes, taking away freezers on suspicion of storing beef.

In Jodhpur’s Jalori Gate area, communal tension on June 22 over installing a religious flag led to stone-pelting, injuring 16 people. In Soor Sagar, Jodhpur, violence on June 21 resulted in injuries to two policemen and the arrest of 51 people. A shop was set on fire, and two vehicles were damaged. In Nahan, Himachal Pradesh, on June 19, a mob looted and vandalized a textile shop belonging to a Muslim man, Javed, after he shared a picture of animal sacrifice on WhatsApp.

State-backed demolitions have added to the plight of the Muslim community. In Mandla, Madhya Pradesh, authorities demolished several homes on the pretext of possession of cow meat. The police claimed the houses were built on government land. Similarly, in Jawra, Ratlam district, homes of four Muslim men were demolished after they were detained for allegedly throwing bovine remains at a temple. Despite a stay order from the Madhya Pradesh High Court, the demolitions were carried out. In Lucknow's Akbarnagar locality, a large-scale demolition targeted Muslim homes.

The APCR report, coupled with the findings of the India Hate Lab, which documented 668 instances of anti-Muslim hate speech in 2023, highlights the increasing hostility towards religious minorities in India. This rise in hate speech and violence is a significant concern, necessitating immediate and effective measures to protect the rights and lives of minority communities.

For more detailed coverage, visit Hindutva Watch and Clarion