Key Points

A birthday party at a cafe in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh turned contentious on Saturday night, 27 December 2025, after a group of men linked to Bajrang Dal stormed the venue, accused two Muslim attendees of “love jihad”, and assaulted them. Police arrested the two youths, along with a café worker, for ‘disturbing the peace’. No action has been taken against the attackers.

 The incident occurred in the Prem Nagar area and was captured in videos that later circulated on social media. According to police and media reports, the party was organised by a first-year BSc Nursing student for her classmates. Ten people attended the gathering—six women and four men. Two of the attendees were Muslim. The presence of Muslim youths with a Hindu woman prompted the arrival of the right-wing activists, who disrupted the celebration, raised slogans, and alleged religious proselytisation.

The video shows Bajrang Dal members accosting the two men shortly after the party began. They proceeded to thrash the youths. A girl who tried to intervene was also allegedly assaulted. Videos from the spot showed a heated exchange inside the cafe, with men shouting slogans and pushing attendees. Another clip showed police restraining a young woman as she protested the treatment meted out to her friends.

Police were alerted as tensions escalated and brought the group to the police station for questioning. Station House Officer Raj Bali said the student lived in a hostel in Prem Nagar and had organised a small birthday gathering for friends from her college. He added that the police informed the families of those present and called the student’s relatives to the station.

Despite the assault by the mob, police action focused on the party attendees. Two Muslim youths—identified in reports as Shan and Waqif—and a cafe staffer were issued challans for “breach of peace”. The staffer, Shailendra Gangwar, was also fined for “disturbing the peace”. No immediate action was reported against the Bajrang Dal attackers, who were advised to disperse.

See Also: Bajrang Dal Threatens Women and Children Wearing Santa Hats in Delhi, Alleging Proselytization

Police clarified that no objectionable or untoward activities were taking place at the café and refuted the “love jihad” allegation. “Love jihad” is a conspiracy theory promoted by Hindutva outfits alleging that Muslim men lure Hindu women into relationships to convert them to Islam.

The woman whose birthday was disrupted told The Times of India that the accusations were unfounded and that most of the guests were Hindus. She said the activists “crashed my birthday party and attacked my friend”, adding that videos shared online showed only partial footage and did not capture the entire incident. She also alleged that the group tried to harass her and snatch her phone.

Public reaction to the incident intensified after videos circulated online, with several users questioning why police action was taken against the Muslim youths rather than those who allegedly assaulted them. The criticism centred on what was seen as a disproportionate response against the victims of the disruption.

The episode in Bareilly follows a pattern of similar disruptions reported in recent years, where groups have targeted mixed-gender or interfaith gatherings, particularly in private or semi-public spaces, on allegations of “love jihad”. Such incidents often lead to brief detentions or preventive actions, while raising questions about vigilante conduct and the balance between maintaining public order and protecting individual rights.

Earlier, on 24 December 2025, Bareilly Bajrang Dal, along with the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), had staged a protest outside a prominent church in the city. They chanted the Hanuman Chalisa and raised slogans like “Jai Sri Ram” and “Har Har Mahadev”, arguing that a Christmas play organized by an affiliated school was an ‘anti-Hindu’ plot.

(DS)

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