New Delhi: Disturbing and graphic performances staged during Ram Navami processions in Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Bihar have triggered sharp criticism, after videos surfaced showing explicit depictions of violence targeting Muslims under the narrative of so-called “love jihad.”
In Giddaur in Jharkhand’s Chatra district, a staged drama showed actors dressed as Muslims hacking a Hindu woman with a sword, followed by dismembering her body and tying it in a sack. The performance included aggressive shouting and provocative messaging, portraying the act as a consequence of “love jihad.” Despite the severity of the visuals, the local police station officer said no complaints have been filed so far.
Equally graphic scenes were reported from Dhayari village near Pune, where a procession included a play depicting a Muslim family trapping a Hindu woman in a relationship before a blood-soaked character murders her, cuts her body into pieces and stores it in a refrigerator. Placards and posters warning of a similar fate were displayed before the performance. Scenes from The Kerala Story were also used to reinforce the narrative.
A play on love jihad during Ram Navami showed men in skull caps assaulting a woman and chopping up her body to demonstrate the consequences of 'love jihad' in Jharkhand's Chatra district.
— The Siasat Daily (@TheSiasatDaily) March 30, 2026
The play showed visibly Muslim men, with white kurtas, fake beards, and skullcaps, while a… pic.twitter.com/EmjyKvivW6
In Vaishali, Bihar, organisers displayed posters urging women to become ‘durga’ or ‘kaali’ but not to become victims of “love jihad”, while exhibiting models of severed limbs. Hate-filled speeches were delivered openly, including in the presence of children.
The circulation of these videos has intensified criticism, with observers warning that religious processions are being turned into platforms for explicit hate propaganda and communal incitement.