A private birthday celebration of a 20-year-old first-year nursing student in Bareilly turned violent after around 25 right-wing activists allegedly barged into a café, assaulted guests and raised ‘love jihad’ slogans, objecting to the presence of two Muslim students at the gathering.
The incident took place on Saturday evening when the student, a resident of Budaun staying at a hostel in Bareilly, hosted a small birthday party with nine friends, including five women. According to victims, a group led by a self-proclaimed cow vigilante stormed the café, thrashed some male guests and created panic.
Initial police action questioned
The victims alleged that police initially fined the two Muslim students and a café staff member for “breach of peace”, while no immediate action was taken against those who disrupted the party and allegedly carried out the assault. This response drew sharp criticism after videos of the attack circulated widely on social media.
One of the injured guests reportedly suffered fractures. “They gate-crashed and assaulted my friends. The allegations of love jihad are completely baseless,” the nursing student said, speaking after the incident gained public attention.
FIR registered after social media outrage
Following mounting outrage online, police took cognisance of the matter. Bareilly SP (City) Manush Pareek confirmed that an FIR has now been registered against those seen attacking inside the café.
The case has been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 333 (house trespass), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 352 (intentional insult), 351 (criminal intimidation) and 191 (rioting). Police have also sought an explanation from the station house officer (SHO) over the initial lack of action.
A departmental inquiry has been initiated against the SHO, officials said, adding that claims of ‘love jihad’ were found to be untrue during preliminary जांच.
Group distances itself from accused
Meanwhile, Ashish Sharma, who identified himself as the ‘gau raksha pramukh’ of a right-wing group’s Bareilly unit, claimed that the accused individual was no longer associated with the organisation. He also asserted that members of his group were not involved in the assault.
Renewed debate on vigilantism
The incident has reignited debate over vigilantism, moral policing and the safety of students in public spaces. Civil society voices have called for strict action against those who take the law into their own hands, warning that such incidents erode public trust and communal harmony.