The recent Navratri festivities in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, took a tragic turn when a violent attack on Hindus unfolded on Sunday, October 13th. A new video surfaced on October 15th, providing insight into one of the most brutal episodes during the festival. In this incident, a 22-year-old man named Ram Gopal Mishra lost his life to an Islamist mob's merciless assault. However, Mishra was not the only target that day. Sudhakar Tiwari, who narrowly escaped the same fate, was also a victim of the attack. His survival came at a heavy cost.

Sudhakar Tiwari is currently receiving medical care in a local hospital, where he is being treated for serious injuries. The attack left him with head trauma so severe that speaking has become a struggle. Tiwari's condition reflects the extent of the brutality he endured, underscoring the horrifying nature of the violence that erupted during what was supposed to be a period of worship and celebration.

Shubham Sharma from NeoPolitico shared a video on X featuring Tiwari in his hospital bed, where he provided a harrowing account of the attack. Despite his weakened state, Tiwari managed to share crucial details about the assault. In his own words, "People from the mosque attacked us. I don’t remember much as they attacked us. I was injured on my head and moved unconscious. The police brought me here," he recounted, struggling to piece together the events of that dreadful day.

The Navratri celebrations in Bahraich took a devastating turn on Sunday, October 13th, when a violent clash erupted between two communities during the immersion procession of the Devi Durga idol in Rehua Mansoor village. The tension began when members of the Muslim community objected to the DJ music accompanying the procession. The situation quickly escalated, culminating in the death of 22-year-old Ram Gopal Mishra, a participant in the immersion ceremony. Tragically, Mishra succumbed to his injuries at the medical college hospital, where he was rushed after being shot during the chaotic events.

The incident occurred in the evening as the procession moved towards Gauriya Ghat, carrying the idol of Maa Durga. The group was chanting religious slogans as they passed by a mosque in the Maharajganj area. At that moment, a gathering of Muslims near the mosque demanded that the procession cease playing the DJ music, a request that sparked a heated argument between the two sides. Tensions ran high, and amidst the disorder, stones began to rain down on the procession, even striking the sacred idols, creating a scene of panic and fear among the devotees.

The Hindu participants pleaded with the police on the scene, urging them to take action and arrest those responsible for the stone-pelting. However, the situation deteriorated further as more individuals from the Muslim community joined in, adding to the chaos and making the environment increasingly volatile.

Amidst the turmoil, an incident took place that would further inflame emotions. It is reported that during the disorder, Mishra climbed onto the roof of Abdul Hamid’s house, where he replaced a green flag with a saffron one while chants of ‘Jai Maa Durga’ and ‘Jai Hanuman’ echoed in the background. This bold act occurred amidst the rising fervor and deepening conflict, marking a moment that highlighted the growing tensions surrounding the event.

Amid the chaos that erupted due to the stone pelting, the situation took an even more horrifying turn when gunfire rang out. According to reports, shots were fired from Abdul Hamid’s residence, targeting the procession. Ram Gopal Mishra, the son of Kailash Nath from Rehua Mansoor village, was shot at close range. He was immediately rushed to the Medical College in Bahraich for emergency treatment, but despite efforts to save him, he succumbed to his injuries.

The tragic death of Ram Gopal Mishra was not just a result of the gunshot. What happened afterward exposed the brutality and deep-seated hatred towards the Hindu community. Mishra was reportedly dragged into a house by the attackers, where they subjected him to unspeakable torture. "The Islamists carried Mishra into a house, locked him inside, and tortured him brutally. They used pliers to remove his nails, sliced his neck with a knife, and then shot over 15 bullets at him," described the harrowing sequence of events that unfolded inside. After Mishra was killed in such a barbaric manner, the violence did not stop. His motionless body became a target for further attacks, as stones were mercilessly hurled at him, showing the extent of the animosity.

Harimilan Mishra, Ram Gopal’s brother, recounted the dreadful ordeal, stating that the Muslim assailants had dragged his brother into their house to murder him. Some of the Hindu youths present at the immersion procession bravely tried to retrieve the body, but they too faced a barrage of bullets and stones. The attackers continued to throw stones at the lifeless body of Ram Gopal, further desecrating it. Harimilan explained that eventually, the only way to retrieve his brother’s body was by using the roof of a neighboring house, as the attackers had made it impossible to access the area directly.

When asked about the role of the police during the tragic incident, Harimilan’s response was blunt and filled with despair. “My brother was killed because of the police,” he declared, holding them accountable for Ram Gopal’s death. According to Harimilan, as long as the Hindus remained united, the attackers did not dare to confront them. However, once the police began a lathi charge, causing a stampede, the situation spiraled out of control. In the ensuing chaos, bullets were fired, and Ram Gopal Mishra fell victim to this ruthless violence.

Harimilan Mishra, the brother of the deceased Ram Gopal, voiced deep frustration over the lack of assistance from the authorities. According to him, "the police neither helped in saving Ram Gopal, nor in removing his body after the murder." The inaction by law enforcement during and after the incident has left the family devastated. Following the tragic death, Ram Gopal was finally cremated, but not without a prolonged dispute between the bereaved family and the local administration. Harimilan revealed that they proceeded with the cremation based on the assurances provided by Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Sureshwar Singh.

The sorrow and outrage felt by Ram Gopal's family were evident as the news of his death spread across Uttar Pradesh. His sister, Preeti, hurriedly traveled from Lucknow to Bahraich to be with her family during this time of immense grief. Struggling to come to terms with the horror inflicted on her brother, Preeti expressed her sorrow in stark terms: "They killed my brother like an animal. They sliced his throat and removed his toenails. His entire body had been wounded by gunfire, and his stomach had many knife cuts. They shot him fifteen times," she recounted, describing the barbaric brutality her brother endured.

The revelations did not end with the description of the violence. Journalist Shubham Sharma, who visited the grieving family's home, shed light on the harsh realities of Ram Gopal's life. He described the deceased as living in dire economic conditions, highlighting the struggles that were a constant part of his everyday existence. Sharma disclosed that Ram Gopal was recently married, and he and his wife were living in a single room that lacked basic infrastructure, with no proper walls or roof to provide shelter. The tragic loss of Ram Gopal not only left a young widow behind but also underscored the plight of a man who had been struggling against the odds even before this horrific incident took his life.

While Mishra tragically succumbed to the violence inflicted by the Muslim radicals, Sudhakar Tiwari, who was also targeted during the assault, is now receiving ongoing medical treatment and is reported to be out of immediate danger. However, the scars of that dreadful day will likely remain with him forever.

Ram Gopal's death has delivered a devastating blow to his family, already burdened by a history of loss. He was the youngest of three brothers, and the tragedy only deepens when considering the fate of his siblings. One of his older brothers had taken his own life, while the other had drowned, leaving Ram Gopal as the last surviving son. As the only remaining breadwinner, his passing has left his family not only in mourning but also facing an uncertain future without the support of a primary earner.

The cruelty of the loss is heightened by the fact that Ram Gopal had been married for just two months before his life was violently taken on October 13th. The incident occurred during the visarjan procession for the Goddess Durga idol in the Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh. What should have been a time of celebration and devotion turned into a nightmare for his loved ones, as they now face the crushing reality of having lost the last of their three sons in such a brutal manner.