Bajrang Dal Workers Beat 2 Muslim Men Attending Hindu Friend's Party

Police in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, intervened after members of Bajrang Dal allegedly attacked two Muslim youths at a cafe. The group accused the students of "love jihad" during a birthday gathering. Officers detained the two Muslim men and two cafe workers, and said an investigation into the accusations and the violence is underway.

The clash happened on Saturday evening inside a local cafe where a nursing student had organised a birthday celebration. The student invited nine classmates, all enrolled in nursing courses, for the private event. Six invitees were women and four were men, and two of the boys were from the Muslim community.

Bajrang Dal allegations and cafe assault

According to officials, members of Bajrang Dal arrived after hearing that two Muslim boys were attending a Hindu friend's party. The group allegedly entered the premises shouting slogans and then began hitting the two students. They claimed the meeting involved "love jihad", a term often used by some groups to allege forced religious conversion.

The girl whose birthday was being celebrated reportedly tried to calm the crowd and defend her friends. The student said it was only a birthday party, not a religious event. The student also requested that Bajrang Dal members stay out of her friends' personal faith choices, stressing that the group only studied together.

Bajrang Dal incident police response

Despite the nursing student's repeated appeals, the aggression did not end, witnesses said. As the disturbance grew, local police received information and quickly reached the cafe. Officers then dispersed those present and promised Bajrang Dal members that they would look into the "love jihad" claims while also addressing the reported physical assault.

Police later detained the two Muslim youths and two staff members from the cafe for questioning. Officers also contacted the parents of the female students and ensured the students were handed over safely. Senior officials said both the scuffle and the allegations are being examined under standard legal procedures.

Providing an official account, senior police officer Ashutosh Shivam told India Today, "A birthday party was being celebrated at a cafe where six girls and four boys were present. Two boys were from the Muslim community. While the party was going on, some members from a Hindu outfit stormed into the cafe and accused the boys of love jihad. A case of a physical scuffle was also reported. The police brought the situation under control and are presently conducting a probe into the incident."

The known details so far focus on conflicting claims of religious motives and a reported assault. Police say they are treating the matter as both a law and order issue and a complaint of "love jihad". Further action is expected after the investigation clarifies responsibility for the violence inside the Bareilly cafe.