Bajrang Dal assaults Muslim youths during birthday celebration, citing 'Love Jihad'; Police book victims

A peaceful birthday celebration at a cafe in the Rajendranagar area of Bareilly turned into a nightmare when activists from a right-wing group allegedly stormed the venue. A nursing student was celebrating her special day with 10 college classmates, including two Muslim youths. Upon learning about the mixed-faith gathering, Bajrang Dal activists reportedly converged at the cafe, raised provocative slogans, and accused the group of "love jihad," creating an atmosphere of fear and chaos inside the premises.

Despite the female student’s repeated clarifications that the attendees were simply college friends gathered for a birthday, the protesters refused to back down. They continued to harass the students and allegedly assaulted the youths. While cafe staff tried to intervene and de-escalate the tension, the activists maintained their siege outside, drawing a large crowd and forcing the intervention of the Dial 112 and Premnagar police units.

Upon arrival, the police conducted an initial inquiry and explicitly acknowledged that there was no "love jihad" angle involved, confirming it was a simple social gathering. The girl was handed over to her family as a precautionary measure, and the other students were sent home. However, the police action that followed has drawn sharp criticism for being one-sided and biased against the victims of the harassment.

In a move that sparked public outrage, the police booked the two Muslim youths and one cafe employee under sections related to the breach of peace. Surprisingly, no FIR was registered or action taken against the right-wing activists who had forcibly entered the private venue, disrupted the peace, and harassed the students. This selective enforcement has raised serious questions about police accountability and the growing trend of moral policing in the region.