Monitoring Desk: At least 60 incidents targeting Christians were documented across 13 districts of West Bengal between May 13 and September 20, 2026.
According to India Hate Lab (IHL) that is a project of the Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH) based in Washington, 60 incidents included 52 raids on private prayer meetings, homes, churches and other Christian gatherings, as well as eight incidents involving physical assault, mob violence or vandalism took place between May 13 and September 20, 2026.
The incidents took place in Chandrakona, Gosaba, Sandeshkhali, Hingalganj, Uttar Dinajpur, Barasat, Ramnagar, Purba Medinipur, Kulpi, Baruipur, Raniganj, Chaitanyapur Haldia, Barrackpore, Subhashgram, Howrah, Magrahat, Parganas and Paschim Medinipur where organisations such as Hindu Jagaran Manch/Bangiya Hindu Jagaran, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal, Hindu Suraksha Samiti, Hindu Ekta Manch and Hindu Sanghati attacked Christians physically or destroyed their belongings. The report said members of these organisations repeatedly entered places where Christians had gathered to pray, accused organisers of carrying out religious conversions and questioned attendees about their faith. In several cases, they demanded to inspect Aadhaar cards.
IHL said every incident it documented was recorded and shared on Facebook or Instagram by those involved. Members of Hindu nationalist organisations uploaded videos of raids, confrontations and interrogations, while some incidents were livestreamed, the report said. The group questioned the enforcement of Meta’s rules against hate and incitement, saying its platforms were being used to publicise and amplify harassment and violence targeting Christians. According to IHL, none of the people or organisations it identified as participants had posted about similar raids or other vigilante attacks targeting Christians before May 2026.
Maktoob Media that is already facing wrath of BJP also reported the incidents and said that report recorded five raids within 48 hours on September 19 and 20. IHL said the concentration of incidents, repeated tactics and organisations, references to the change in government, and instances of police presence pointed to “an increasingly organized campaign operating in an environment of apparent institutional impunity.”
