Over 50% drop in communal riots in 2025, but violence turns more systemic: study
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Communal riots in India declined by more than 50 per cent in 2025 compared to the previous year, but religion-based violence has taken more systemic and institutional forms, according to a report by the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism.
The study recorded 28 communal riots in 2025, down from 59 in 2024, marking a 52 per cent reduction. These incidents resulted in four deaths and 360 injuries. However, mob lynching cases rose slightly, with 14 incidents claiming eight lives in 2025, compared to 13 incidents and 11 deaths the previous year.
The analysis, based on reports from the Mumbai editions of The Indian Express, The Hindu, The Times of India, Sahafat, and Inquilab, said that while large-scale riots declined, identity-based violence persisted in subtler forms. The report pointed to institutional discrimination against Muslim and Christian communities, increased hate speech, and the marginalisation of minority cultures in public spaces.
It also noted a growing visibility of Hindu religious symbols and festivals in public life, describing it as an assertion of majoritarian dominance.
Maharashtra reported the highest number of riots at seven, followed by West Bengal and Gujarat with four each. Madhya Pradesh recorded three, while Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Assam, and Uttarakhand had two each. Bihar and Odisha reported one incident each.
No communal riots were reported from southern states.
Nine incidents were linked to religious processions or festivals, including Ram Navami, Hanuman Jayanti, Eid, and garba events.
Protests over the Waqf Amendment Act also triggered violence, including the killing of a father and son in West Bengal’s Murshidabad.
The study said state responses often showed bias, with faster action when Hindu victims were involved and disproportionate targeting of Muslims. It also flagged rising anti-Christian violence, citing 706 incidents recorded by the United Christian Forum by November, including denial of burial rights in tribal regions.
The report called for stronger accountability, impartial law enforcement, and institutional reforms to protect vulnerable communities and uphold the rule of law.