New Delhi: In the wake of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, there has been a disturbing surge in hate crimes, harassment, and violence targeting Muslims across India. According to a fact-finding report by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), 184 hate incidents were documented across 19 states within just two weeks of the attack, with 106 of those incidents directly referencing the Pahalgam incident.
The 178-page report dismisses these incidents as isolated or spontaneous acts, instead describing them as part of a systematic and coordinated campaign aimed at fueling anti-Muslim sentiment and spreading fear within the community. The report identifies far-right groups and Hindu nationalist outfits as the primary drivers behind this wave of violence, using the Pahalgam attack as a pretext to incite hatred and mobilize support.
According to APCR, these hate crimes affected at least 316 individuals, who were subjected to physical violence, threats, economic boycotts, and in some cases, forced evictions.
Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of incidents (43), followed by Maharashtra and Uttarakhand with 24 each, Madhya Pradesh with 20, and several cases in Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, and Bihar. Significant incidents were also recorded in Karnataka, Punjab, and Chandigarh.
The nature of the hate crimes varied widely: 84 involved hate speech, 78 involved threats or intimidation, 42 were acts of harassment, 39 involved physical assaults, 19 were cases of property damage or vandalism, 7 were verbal abuse, and 3 cases involved murders.
In several instances, Muslim-owned shops were set ablaze, Kashmiri individuals were targeted with hateful content online, and communal slurs were openly shouted during protests, including terms like “terrorists” and “jihadis.”
One of the most shocking incidents occurred in Ambala, Haryana, where a mob chanting “Jai Shri Ram” vandalized and set fire to Muslim-owned shops and forcibly removed vendors from the market, allegedly with the support or acquiescence of local authorities. In West Bengal’s Maheshtala, a pregnant Muslim woman was reportedly denied medical treatment by a gynecologist who allegedly made communal remarks referencing the Pahalgam attack.
The report also documented instances of Muslims being lynched in Madhya Pradesh, Mangaluru, Agra, and Bokaro, among other places.
Tazeen Junaid, a member of the fact-finding team, noted that these incidents are not merely reactions to an isolated attack but part of a broader, premeditated campaign of hate. “Hate crimes rarely occur in a vacuum,” she stated. “They are often the product of organized rhetoric, political climate, and, at times, tacit support from state machinery.”
While the intensity of incidents appeared to decline following interventions such as "Operation Sindoor," the report cautions against assuming a genuine reduction. It suggests that the decline may instead reflect a temporary pause in reporting or a strategic shift in how hate is being propagated.
The report warns that if state institutions, the judiciary, and civil society do not act decisively to counter this rising tide of communal hate, the country’s secular and democratic fabric may face severe challenges. APCR has urged the government, media, and political leadership to take immediate steps to curb hate speech, protect minority communities, and uphold constitutional values.
The findings come on the heels of another report released earlier this year by India Hate Lab, which stated that 74% of hate speeches in India in 2024 have been directed against minorities, with many such statements made by elected representatives and public officials.