Targeted By Faith: 12 Shocking Incidents Of Religiously Motivated Violence Against Hindus

Over the years, Hindus have been systematically targeted and killed in several brutal terror attacks across South Asia and beyond—often singled out purely for their religious identity. In many of these chilling incidents, terrorists confirmed their victims’ faith through identity cards, sacred threads, or even forced religious recitations before carrying out the executions. The recent massacre in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 Hindu tourists were killed, is only the latest in a long, disturbing pattern. Below are eleven such documented cases between 1998 and 2025, exposing a consistent trend of religiously motivated violence against Hindus.

#1 Pahalgam Attack (22 April 2025)

In Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir, 26 Hindu tourists were killed in a brutal attack by terrorists. The attackers asked the tourists about their religious identity before separating the men from the women and children. Those unable to recite Islamic verses were shot dead.

#2 Murshidabad Violence (April 2025)

In Murshidabad, West Bengal, Muslim mobs marked Hindu homes with black ink before launching targeted attacks during riots on April 11, triggered by protests against the Waqf Amendment Act. Houses and shops, including Subha Smriti Hotel and Sri Hari Hindu Hotel, were looted and burned. Temples were vandalized, idols desecrated, and even an ambulance was torched after its driver was assaulted. Locals reported that attackers were from nearby areas. Many Hindu families fled to Malda for safety. Eyewitnesses accused the police of fleeing the scene, leaving victims to fend for themselves during the violence.

#3 Dubai Bakery Murders (11 April 2025)

In Dubai, two Indian nationals from Telangana, Ashtam Prem Sagar and Srinivas, were murdered by a Pakistani Muslim national in a bakery. The attacker allegedly targeted them based on their Hindu/Indian identity, shouting religious slogans during the attack. Ashtam Premsagar was reportedly killed following a workplace dispute with a Pakistani colleague in Dubai. According to his family and witness accounts, the attacker stabbed him multiple times despite Premsagar pleading for his life, mentioning that he had two daughters and elderly parents. His brother alleged that Premsagar was targeted “just because he was from India,” suggesting the possibility of a communal or nationalistic motive behind the attack, though no official confirmation of the motive has been provided yet by authorities.

#4 Bangladesh Regime Change Violence (5 August 2024)

A disturbing video from Bangladesh showed Islamic extremists checking the genitals of a dead man to determine if he was circumcised, then shouting “Hindu, Hindu” and laughing, indicating targeted violence against Hindus. The corpse, with a bleeding head and hands tied, was surrounded by a cheering mob. Amid ongoing anti-government protests, attacks on Hindu homes, shops, and temples intensified. Despite Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, violence continued.

#5 Rajouri Terrorist Attack (3 January 2023)

In Narla village, Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir, terrorists murdered four Hindus after confirming their religious identity through their Aadhar cards. The victims were Pritam Sharma and his three sons.

#6 Shopian Terrorist Killing (6 August 2022)

In 2022, Kashmir witnessed a disturbing rise in targeted killings, with over 24 individuals killed, including seven policemen and six minorities. In Shopian, Jammu and Kashmir, two Kashmiri Pandit brothers, Sunil Kumar and Pitambarnath, were attacked and Sunil Kumar was shot dead by terrorists in their fields. Pitambarnath was injured. Both were targeted specifically for their Hindu identity.

#7 Kulgam Teacher Murder (31 May 2022)

In Gopalpura village, Kulgam, militants targeted Rajni Bala, a Hindu teacher, for her religious identity. She was shot dead while working at a government school.

#8 Three Civilians Killed In Targeted Attacks (5 October 2021)

Terrorists shot dead Makhan Lal Bindroo, owner of Srinagar’s renowned Bindroo Medicate, inside his shop. A non-local street vendor, Virender Paswan from Bihar, was also killed in Lal Bazaar. Later, Muhammad Shafi Lone, associated with a transport union in Bandipora, was shot dead in a third attack. The police launched investigations and cordoned off affected areas. These killings sparked outrage, with political leaders condemning the violence. Bindroo’s murder was particularly shocking, as he was among the few non-Muslims who stayed through the 1990s insurgency, continuing to serve the community despite ongoing threats.

#9 Srinagar School Attack (7 October 2021)

On October 7, 2021, militants killed Principal Supinder Kour and teacher Deepak Chand inside the Sangam Idgah Boys Higher Secondary School in Srinagar, days after three civilians, including chemist M.L. Bindroo, were murdered. The TRF claimed responsibility, accusing the victims of coercing students to attend an August 15 event. These killings brought the civilian death toll to 27 for the year, sparking fear among minorities and non-locals. Protests and shop closures followed. Security was heightened, and political leaders condemned the violence, warning of attempts to sow communal discord. Authorities linked the attacks to a conspiracy against growing tourism and investment in Kashmir, vowing a strong response.

#10 Kanpur ISIS Attack (24 October 2016)

In Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, retired principal Ramesh Babu Shukla was killed by ISIS terrorists who confirmed his Hindu identity by his sacred thread before shooting him dead. The two ISIS terrorists, Atif Muzaffar and Faisal, were sentenced to death after the court declared it a “rarest of rare” case, and noting the killing was motivated by religious hatred to show loyalty to ISIS. The motive was to spread fear among non-Muslims. The case is linked to the 2017 Bhopal-Ujjain train blast. Investigations revealed the bullet used in Shukla’s murder was fired from a weapon recovered from slain terrorist Saifullah.

#11 Nadimarg Kashmiri Pandit Massacre (23 March 2003)

On the night of 23 March 2003, the village of Nadimarg in Pulwama —where Kashmiri Pandits and local Muslims had coexisted for generations—was shattered by unspeakable violence. Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists descended upon the village under the cover of darkness. Around 11 PM, they dragged out 24 unarmed Hindu Kashmiri Pandit men, women, and children from their homes. Forced into a line, they were mercilessly shot dead. The blood-stained mud houses, now abandoned, stand as haunting reminders of that night’s horror—a massacre that left deep scars on the land and the memory of a once-harmonious community.

#12 Udhampur Massacre (17 April 1998)

14 Pakistan-backed Islamist terrorists brutally massacred 29 Hindus, including 12 children, in Prankote village, Jammu & Kashmir. Using knives, swords, and fire, the terrorists beheaded victims and burned homes, aiming to drive Hindus out and alter the region’s demography. Isolated in the hills, Prankote’s tragedy went unreported for hours, and by the time authorities arrived, the terrorists had fled. The massacre triggered mass displacement, with survivors still living in Talwara migrant camp over two decades later—awaiting justice, recognition, and a chance to return to their ancestral homes.

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