Rising Hate Crimes and Bulldozer Crackdown Raise Alarm in India
India is witnessing a troubling surge in religiously motivated hate crimes and punitive state actions, according to a recent civil society report and local media accounts.
The Association for People’s Culture & Rights (APCR), cited by Muslim Mirror, documented 141 hate crimes targeting Muslims and Christians between June and August 2025. The report also highlighted 102 incidents of hate speech in the same period, underscoring the widespread atmosphere of hostility. Despite the scale of violence, only 22 of the 141 cases were formally registered as First Information Reports (FIRs), raising concerns about official indifference or complicity.
Meanwhile, tensions have escalated in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, over the “I Love Muhammad” campaign. Maktoob Media reported that local authorities have used bulldozer teams to demolish or seal properties linked to cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan’s aides. One demolition targeted an e-rickshaw charging station owned by his son-in-law, while a resort belonging to another associate was sealed. Officials also announced plans to confiscate or demolish properties worth up to ₹150 crore tied to Khan’s supporters.
The crackdown included the arrest of Mohsin Raza, Khan’s son-in-law, whose residence was searched as part of the action. Authorities defended the measures as law enforcement, but critics denounced them as a form of collective punishment against Muslims. According to Maktoob Media, community members accused the government of weaponizing administrative powers to intimidate minority groups, rather than pursuing justice through fair legal channels.
Taken together, the APCR findings reported by Muslim Mirror and the developments covered by Maktoob Media point to a dual crisis: rising communal violence on the ground and aggressive state crackdowns that disproportionately target Muslim communities. Civil society groups warn that these combined pressures could deepen religious polarization in India.
