India experienced a sharp rise in communal riots in 2024, with incidents escalating by 84% compared to 2023, according to a report by the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism.
The report, titled Hegemony and Demolitions: The Tale of Communal Riots in India in 2024, reveals that 59 communal riots occurred this year, up from 32 in 2023. Authored by human rights activists Irfan Engineer, Neha Dabhade, and Mithila Raut, the study uses data from Mumbai editions of five newspapers, including The Hindu, The Times of India, The Indian Express, Sahafat, and The Inquilab.
The most significant number of riots were reported in Maharashtra, with 12 incidents, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, each witnessing seven.
These riots resulted in the deaths of 13 individuals—10 Muslims and three Hindus.
The increase in communal violence is partly attributed to the general elections held earlier in 2024, the report suggests. It highlights that many of the riots—26 out of 59—were triggered during religious festivals or processions, with some coinciding with events such as the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya in January 2024.
The report also points to the rise of religious tensions, with communal disputes related to places of worship.
Notably, 18 ongoing legal cases concern mosques and shrines, including the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, the Shahi Eidgah mosque in Mathura, and the Atala Mosque in Jaunpur. Hindu groups have raised claims that these structures were built over demolished Hindu temples.
The authors stress that the government’s actions have disproportionately targeted the Muslim community in the wake of communal tensions.
These measures include demolitions of Muslim-owned properties, often justified by claims of encroachment on government land, which have inflicted significant economic damage. A total of 19 Muslim properties in Maharashtra alone were demolished in areas that saw communal clashes this year.
The report also addresses the disturbing trend of mob lynchings, with 13 reported incidents in 2024, resulting in 11 deaths—nine Muslims, one Hindu, and one Christian.
Seven of these lynchings were linked to cow vigilantism or accusations of cow slaughter, while the others were due to alleged interfaith relationships or assaults targeting Muslims based on their religious identity.