2018 Bihar riots
| 2018 Bihar riots | |
|---|---|
| Part of Religious violence in India, Violence against Muslims in India | |
| Location | Bihar, India: • Bhagalpur • Aurangabad • Siwan • Gaya • Nalanda • Kaimur • Samastipur • Munger • Nawada |
| Date | 17 March 2018 - 30 March 2018 |
Attack type | Communal disharmony, Anti-Muslim pogrom |
| Weapons | Stone pelting, gun shots and attacks using swords |
| Injured | 65 (estimated) |
No. of participants | 300 (estimated, people arrested linked with riots) |
| Motive | Series of communal incidents in the wake of Rama Navami |
2018 Bihar riots refer to anti-Muslim riots during March 2018 in the Indian state of Bihar.
The riots were initially started on 17 March 2018 in Bhagalpur where a procession during the Hindu festival of Rama Navami led by Arijit Shashwat (son of Ashwini Kumar Choubey) turned violent and clashes started between Hindus and Muslims. On 25 March 2018, police had controlled the riot. But some unidentified people vandalised a Hanuman idol in a temple in Nawada and violence broke out again affecting the Siwan, Gaya, Kaimur, Samastipur, Munger, Aurangabad, Nalanda, Haiderganj and Rosera districts. The violence also effected Asansol-Raniganj area in West Bengal.
According to a report by The Statesman, "People, especially youth riding hundreds of motor bikes, take out rallies, brandish swords and other weapons and play highly objectionable songs. Violating the terms and conditions, they try to enter Muslim-majority areas which is objected to by the local Muslim populations. As a result, stone pelting starts and then shops and other properties belonging to a particular community are set on fire." The Bihar Police and intelligence departments stated that outsiders were involved in planning and executing communal riots in Bihar.