Mosque attacked by Hindu mob in India’s Maharashtra state

NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A Hindu extremist mob tried to storm a mosque in western India this week, in yet another instance of rising attacks on Muslims during Hindu festivals.

The incident occurred on March 12 in Rajapur town of Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district, where a mob carrying a wooden structure (shimga) chanted slogans and attempted to break through the gates of Jama Masjid — all while Muslims were offering Ramadan Taraweeh prayers.

Video footage shows police and mosque authorities struggling to stop the crowd, raising alarm over law enforcement’s failure to protect minority communities.

Asaduddin Owaisi, a member of parliament and leader of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), condemned the attack as “shameful,” criticizing police for allowing the mob to gather and attempt an assault on a place of worship.

Pattern of violence during Hindu festivals

The attack in Maharashtra comes amid a growing trend of Hindu extremists using festivals like Holi, Ram Navami, and Hanuman Jayanti to incite violence against Muslims, often targeting mosques.

In Uttar Pradesh — India’s most populous state located in the north — authorities covered at least 189 mosques with tarpaulin ahead of Holi to prevent attacks, and Friday prayer timings were adjusted across 18 districts to avoid clashes with Hindu processions — a stark sign of the constant threat faced by Muslims during such festivals.

Human rights groups have long warned that Hindu nationalist groups deliberately provoke violence around mosques under the guise of religious celebration, often with little pushback from authorities.