Like every year, this year’s Ram Navami celebrations have also been marred with violence as Islamists unleashed mayhem in various parts of the country. Today, (April 1), a new video of violence has emerged from the Charminar area in Hyderabad, where allegedly a group of Islamists attacked Hindu devotees for chanting devotional slogans on the occasion of Ram Navami.
The incident reportedly occurred in Hyderabad’s old city Charminar area on Thursday (March 30, 2023) evening during the Hindu festival of Ram Navami, which coincidentally came in the month of Ramzan this year.
Hyderabad, Telangana | A clash occurred between two groups in Charminar area. A few people from Muslim community attacked a few people from Hindu community after latter came on a bike & did sloganeering on Ram Navami day during Ramadan evening prayers: SHO Charminar pic.twitter.com/ya8lD6uVHl
— ANI (@ANI) April 1, 2023
According to reports, some Hindu devotees arrived on bikes and began chanting slogans to commemorate Ram Navami in Hyderabad’s Charminar neighbourhood. Several Muslim fanatics, who were offended because Ramadan evening prayers were being held at the time, accosted and assaulted the Hindu devotees.
As can be seen in the viral video, a group of individuals donning skull caps shout ‘maaro maaro’ as they accost some youths and thrash them up mercilessly in full public view. A young man dressed in a saffron kurta escapes the hands of an enraged mob and flees for his life. Some enraged Islamists start chasing him, while others seize another Hindu youth and begin beating him up.
Clash between two groups at Charminar, #Hyderabad. Clash broke out after one group on #Ramnavami gave slogans during #Ramadan evening prayers near a religious centre while few from one group attacked the other. Case registered, accused yet to be identified. pic.twitter.com/sB6NOvWoP1
— Sowmith Yakkati (@sowmith7) April 1, 2023
According to reports, the police did not receive any complaint, however, a case has been filed by taking suo-moto cognisance of the incident. The accused have not yet been identified but the police are probing the case.
Ram Navami or the birth anniversary of Lord Rama is an auspicious occasion in the Hindu calendar year. On that day, Hindus seek blessings from Lord Rama, provide food to the needy, perform rituals, take out processions and so on. However, every year, when these processions pass through the so-called ‘Muslim dominated areas’, it leads to stone pelting, targeted attacks, arson and vandalism.
This year was also no exception. States like West Bengal and Maharashtra were marred with violence. Apart from this, there were also reports of stones pelting on the Shobha Yatra of Ram Navami in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.