Hindu-Muslim trade stones at each other from temple, mosque in Rautahat

Another communal incident triggered communal tension within a month. On January 25, violence broke out in Rampur Khap of Paroha Municipality–9 during the immersion of a Saraswati Puja idol. Youths from Hindu and Muslim religious communities clashed, with reports of stone‑pelting and attacks on a local mosque and nearby temple.

Videos circulating on Facebook and TikTok, reviewed by the_farsight, show crowds throwing stones at each other from both the temple and the mosque. CCTV footage from the mosque shows police entering the religious site and striking an individual described in the clip as a cleric. Police fired several rounds of tear gas to disperse those gathered near the mosque.

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Local reporting suggests the clash began as a disagreement over the immersion procession. The Rautahat district administration said the situation escalated as emotions ran high during the ritual.

Following the incident, the District Administration Office (DAO), Rautahat, issued an appeal urging residents to respect each other’s religious and cultural practices, avoid violence, and maintain peace.

Assistant Chief District Officer Jitendra Kumar Yadav told the_farsight police had brought the situation under control and that local community representatives had agreed to restore calm.

The incident comes after communal tensions in Birgunj, which disrupted the city for three days from January 4-6. At that time in Rautahat, an all-party meeting appealed for harmony between religious communities, in anticipation of possible spillover in the district, given that the unrest in Birgunj was itself a result of tensions in Dhanusha. Fortunately, the incident didn’t turn into a flashpoint.

This, however, is not the first time Saraswati Puja idol immersion turned violent in Rautahat. In February 2024, a clash broke out in Ward 7 of Ishnath Municipality, which borders Ward 9 of Paroha, during the immersion, spilling over into Birgunj.

Additionally, the Terai-Madhes region has suffered an alarmingly growing number of flashpoints and clashes over the past decade, particularly during festive seasons.