After a minor Muslim was arrested for allegedly desecrating a temple idol, residents of Podgaon village in Maharashtra face widespread threats and forced business closures
NEW DELHI/PUNE — Tension, fear, and anxiety have gripped the village of Podgaon in Mulshi taluka in Maharashtra’s Pune district since May 2, when a Muslim minor was arrested for desecrating an idol at the Annapurna temple.
The incident has triggered a wave of anti-Muslim hatred, particularly targeting Muslim families originally from outside the village. The situation has escalated to the point where many Muslim residents have been forced to close their businesses and leave their homes amid threats and social boycott.
Rashid, who has lived in Podgaon for more than 30 years after moving from Uttar Pradesh as a child with his family, shared his distress: “It has been more than two months now. We were told to shut down our bakery, threatened to leave the village. They call us ‘outsider Muslims’, even though we have lived here for decades. Some Muslim families are called ‘local Muslims’ because their families have been here for generations, but the real issue is that we are Muslims,” he said.
The controversy began on May 2, when a local minor Muslim boy, whose family originates from Bihar but who was born in Podgaon, was accused of desecrating the Annapurna temple idol. The boy was promptly arrested by police. Following this, Hindu extremist groups such as the Sakal Hindu Samaj called for a bandh (shutdown) and organised rallies within the village, expressing outrage.
Muslim residents report that soon after these events, young men began targeting Muslim-owned businesses. Majid, another resident whose family has lived in the village for over 60 years, explained, “Even I am now called an ‘outsider’. When I go out, people ask why I haven’t left yet. We are not allowed to attend the local mosque; only ‘local Muslims’ are permitted. We have to travel to Pune for Friday prayers.”
The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) conducted a fact-finding visit to Podgaon and surrounding villages. Their report details disturbing incidents of intimidation and economic boycott. It states that groups of locals and outsiders have been spreading messages forbidding Muslims from working, renting property, or trading in the area.
“Bakeries, junk shops, barbers, and meat shops owned by Muslims have been forcibly closed down,” the report notes. It also highlights the loss of employment for over 100 people, both Muslim and Hindu, who worked in Muslim-owned bakeries. PUCL raised a critical question: “Can an entire community be punished for the actions of one individual? Are Muslims in this village being denied the right to work, worship, and live peacefully?”
According to PUCL, around 350 Muslim families in Podgaon have been targeted. Many have left the village, seeking shelter in Pune, Lonavala, or their ancestral homes in Uttar Pradesh. Sameer, who has lived in Podgaon for 18 years, described the personal toll. “My children were born here. I worked in a bakery that has now shut down. I had to cancel my children’s school admissions because we cannot live here anymore. There is no money to move them to schools in Pune.”
Muslims in the village say even their relatives hesitate to offer support out of fear. Rashid shared, “My mother-in-law’s family is from Pune and is considered local Muslims, but they avoid helping us because they fear being targeted too.”
Rashid described how his family’s livelihood has been hit hard. “My brother ran a milk business selling over a thousand litres daily. Since the incident, customers have stopped buying milk. A Hindu shopkeeper told us he is pressured to stop dealing with Muslims.”
Majid added, “No Muslim labourers or daily wage workers are getting jobs in the village now. We have been cut off completely.”
Rashid revealed the impact of social ostracism on daily life. “A few days after the incident, my wife went to buy vegetables. People asked why she was still here. Several men gathered, and she was so frightened that she no longer went out alone. We are all afraid for our lives.”
The day after the temple desecration, the Podgaon Gram Panchayat passed a resolution banning ‘outside Muslims’ from offering prayers in the village mosque. The PUCL report also documents how banners stating “Entry of non-local Muslims prohibited” were displayed in Podgaon, Paringot, and nearby villages.
Milind Champanerkar of PUCL said, “The atmosphere of terror is growing, and we fear this hateful approach might spread to other villages. We have called on the district Superintendent of Police to take immediate action.”
Local Muslim leaders have condemned the discrimination and called for peace. An elder from Podgaon, who asked to remain anonymous, said, “We have lived here peacefully for generations. Punishing all Muslims for one person’s alleged mistake is unjust and harmful to our community.”
A Hindu shopkeeper from the village who wished to remain unnamed expressed his worries: “I want to do business with everyone, but there is pressure from some groups. This division is bad for the village.”
As the situation remains fragile, human rights groups and residents are urging government authorities to intervene and restore peace and justice.
Rashid summed up the community’s plea: “We want to live without fear, work without threats, and pray without discrimination. We belong here as much as anyone else.”
Photo: Screengrab of the viral Video shows Pune i locals vowing economic boycott of Muslims .
