A mob killing of two Hindu monks and their driver in Palghar during India's COVID-19 lockdown prompted over 100 arrests and exposed communal misinformation risks.
Key Facts
- Date of incident
- 16 April 2020
- Victims killed
- 3 (two sadhus and their driver)
- Police injured
- 5 (four officers and one senior officer)
- Villagers arrested by 4 May 2020
- 115
- Location
- Gadchinchale Village, Palghar District, Maharashtra
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During India's nationwide coronavirus lockdown in April 2020, rumours circulated in Gadchinchale Village, Palghar District, that thieves were operating in the area. A vigilante group of villagers acted on these unfounded rumours and mistakenly identified three travellers—two Hindu sadhus and their driver—as criminals.
On 16 April 2020, the vigilante mob attacked and killed the two sadhus and their driver. Policemen who attempted to intervene were also assaulted, leaving four officers and one senior police officer injured. The killings occurred in broad public view in the village.
Maharashtra police arrested 115 villagers on murder charges by 4 May 2020. Following the killings, misinformation spread online to inflame religious tension. On 22 April, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh published the list of those arrested, clarifying that none were Muslim and that attackers and victims shared the same religion.