On Sunday, April 30, a blast occurred inside the Mecca Mosque in Ardha Masla village, Georai tehsil, Beed district, Maharashtra. The explosion, which took place around 2:30 am, caused significant damage to the mosque’s interior but fortunately did not result in any casualties. The incident has heightened communal tensions in the region, prompting authorities to deploy additional security forces to maintain order.
The Beed police swiftly arrested two suspects, Vijay Rama Gavhane (aged 22) and Sriram Ashok Sagde (aged 24), both residents of the village, and detained two others for questioning. The officials believe the accused planted gelatin sticks inside the mosque, leading to the explosion. The suspects, engaged in well-digging work, allegedly diverted the explosives from their professional use to orchestrate the attack.
According to locals, tensions escalated on Saturday night during the ‘Sandal’ procession at the village dargah, a traditional event that draws participants from surrounding areas. An altercation broke out between Vijay Rama Gavhane, Sriram Ashok Sagde, and a group of Muslim youths. As per the report of Hindustan Times, the FIR states that communal slurs were exchanged, and Gavhane allegedly threatened, “Why is a mosque being built here? Destroy it, or else we will.”
The Mecca Masjid, where the blast occurred, is located close to the dargah Gavhane referred to. After the argument, villagers intervened, and the groups dispersed for the night. However, at approximately 2:30 am, Rashid Sayyad, the complainant in the case, was woken by the sound of an explosion. According to the FIR, several villagers then witnessed Gavhane and Sagde fleeing the scene.
STORY | Gelatin sticks trigger blast at mosque in Beed, no casualty; 2 held
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(Source: Third Party) pic.twitter.com/6xevUV5bp1— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 30, 2025
Arrests and investigation
A case has been registered at Talwada police station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including those related to desecrating a place of worship, inciting communal discord, and illegal possession of explosives. Sections such as 298 (destruction, damage, or defilement of a place of worship or sacred object), 299 (deliberate and malicious acts that insult the religious beliefs of any group of people), 196 (actions or speech that promote enmity or hatred between groups), 326(g) (Mischief by injury, inundation, fire or explosive substance), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 352 (intentional insults that incite a breach of peace), 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), 3(5) (joint criminal liability) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) have been used. Additional charges sections 3 (explosion likely to endanger life or property), 4 (making/keeping explosives with intent to endanger life or property), and 5 (making or possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances) of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, have also been invoked. As per a report of Free Press Journal, forensic experts and bomb disposal teams have collected evidence, and the investigation continues to determine whether the attack was premeditated or part of a larger conspiracy.
The mosque caretaker, Sayyad Shammu, had spoken to media and confirmed that the accused had issued threats the previous day. The blast triggered outrage within the local Muslim community, leading to protests outside the Talwada police station demanding strict action against the perpetrators. In response, police imposed heightened security measures to prevent further unrest. Shops in the village remained closed in protest, but community leaders urged calm, emphasising the need for justice through legal channels.
Background of the accused
One of the arrested individuals, Vijay Rama Gavhane, lived near the mosque and had prior criminal records, including a case involving illegal arms possession. Police investigations have revealed that Gavhane, who had failed his Class X exams, worked as a well-digger in the village. His job involved using controlled explosions, making him familiar with handling gelatin sticks. A senior police officer confirmed that the accused misused their knowledge of explosives to carry out the attack.
Despite the village’s history of communal harmony, his actions suggest a pattern of radicalisation and extremist tendencies. Authorities are investigating whether external influences played a role in the attack. A now-deleted Instagram reel posted by Gavhane has also raised suspicions. In the video, he can be seen smoking in front of a bundle of gelatin sticks while a Marathi song played in the background, with lyrics translating to: “One should stay within limits. I am not less. I am the fire.” This revelation has intensified concerns that the attack was deliberate and ideologically motivated.
महाराष्ट्र के बीड की एक मस्जिद में बम ब्लास्ट हुआ
ब्लास्ट विजय और श्रीराम ने किया
ब्लास्ट करने से पहले विजय ने ये वीडियो इंस्टाग्राम पर शेयर किया था
एक हाथ में बम है, दूसरे हाथ में सिगरेट
यह ख़ौफ़ है क़ानून व्यवस्था और पुलिस का महाराष्ट्र में?
लानत है देवेंद्र फड़नवीस pic.twitter.com/ciG3qkmsGb
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) March 30, 2025
Systemic failures and the need for accountability
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, speaking in Nagpur during an event attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, acknowledged the blast and assured that the perpetrators would be brought to justice. Commenting on the explosion at the mosque in Beed, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated, as quoted by ANI, “The information has been received, and we also know who was responsible. The concerned SP will provide further details.”
Beed Superintendent of Police Navneet Kanwat and Special Inspector General of Police Virendra Mishra visited the site to oversee the investigation and security arrangements. Local political leaders, including MLA Vijaysingh Pandit, appealed for peace, urging residents to let law enforcement conduct a thorough inquiry. However, the incident has raised larger questions about the increasing prevalence of communal attacks and the state’s ability to curb hate-driven violence.
This incident is not an isolated case but part of a troubling pattern of targeted attacks against religious minorities. The ease with which the accused accessed and used explosives points to glaring lapses in regulatory oversight. Additionally, the reluctance of authorities to categorise the incident as terrorism despite its clear intent to instil fear reflects a dangerous double standard in law enforcement.
While arrests have been made, the broader concern remains: will justice be served, or will this case fade into obscurity like other instances of anti-Muslim violence? The legal system must ensure that those responsible face the full extent of the law to prevent such acts from becoming more frequent.
The Beed mosque blast is a stark reminder that communal violence continues to threaten India’s social fabric. The government must move beyond routine arrests and conduct a thorough investigation into the motivations, networks, and ideological leanings that fuel such attacks. Without decisive action and systemic reform, impunity will only embolden further violence, deepening societal divisions and endangering the nation’s fragile communal harmony.
A tradition of shared festivities
Despite the attack on the mosque, local residents highlighted the long-standing tradition of celebrating festivals together in the village. According to a villager quoted by PTI, during the Gudi Padwa festival, Hindus customarily visit the Hazrat Sayyad Badshah Dargah near the mosque. The accused allegedly attempted to destroy the mosque using gelatin sticks just as preparations were underway for joint celebrations of Gudi Padwa and Ramzan Eid on Sunday.
Following the explosion, residents—who have coexisted peacefully for decades—came together to repair the mosque. A peace committee meeting was also convened in the village on Sunday morning to maintain communal harmony.
Political leaders condemn the attack
Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi squarely blamed the prevailing anti-Muslim rhetoric in political discourse for incidents like the Beed mosque blast. “Politicians are spewing venom against Muslims day in and day out,” Azmi remarked, criticising ministers for using inflammatory language. He further questioned why the accused were charged with minor offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Indian Evidence Act (IEA), rather than being booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), a law frequently applied to Muslim activists and organisations. “Are they not terrorists? Will they face bulldozer justice? Will they be forced to compensate for the mosque’s destruction?” he asked, highlighting the apparent legal double standard, as per Scroll.
Asaduddin Owaisi, Member of Parliament and president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), also condemned the attack, expressing concern that one of the accused had openly boasted about his role in the blast without fear of consequences. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Owaisi pointed out that the accused seemed confident of being treated as a hero rather than a criminal, which speaks to the larger environment of impunity for anti-Muslim violence.
In Beed Maharashtra, on 29th March, 2:30 AM a masjid was targeted in a blast by Vijay Gavhane and Shriram Sagde. Vijay had even posted a video of himself with gelatine sticks. It’s clear that he’s confident of being treated as a hero. The masjid suffered grave damage and the…
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) March 30, 2025
Beed MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) and Georai MLA Vijaysingh Pandit visited the damaged mosque and urged residents to remain calm. Kshirsagar condemned the attack but offered no substantial critique of the government’s response.
Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal took a more direct stance, alleging that the blast was not an isolated incident but part of the ruling MahaYuti alliance’s broader agenda to incite communal violence. “Maharashtra, a state known for its progressive ethos, is being dragged into a crisis of communalism,” Sapkal stated, as per the Deccan Herald. He accused the BJP-led MahaYuti government of deliberately fostering unrest, employing a “divide-and-rule” strategy reminiscent of British colonial policies. “The ruling alliance wants to keep Maharashtra in a state of turmoil, and the Beed mosque blast fits into that larger motive,” he asserted. Sapkal also raised concerns about the deteriorating law and order situation under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also serves as the state’s home minister.
Accusation of selective justice
Legal experts have strongly criticised the state’s reluctance to invoke UAPA in this particular case, a law frequently used in terrorism-related cases. Supreme Court lawyer Javed Shaikh, speaking to the Free Press Journal, stated that the Beed explosion was an act of terrorism, making it a “clear-cut case” for UAPA charges. “In the past, the government has slapped UAPA charges on activists from the Popular Front of India (PFI) merely for participating in rallies. Here, we have an actual explosion inside a mosque, yet the state is hesitant to invoke UAPA. This selective application of anti-terror laws raises serious concerns about bias in law enforcement,” Shaikh argued.
Advocate A.K. Pathan questioned whether the authorities would conduct a thorough investigation into a possible larger conspiracy behind the attack. “There are forces working in the background to disrupt communal harmony. Will the state government ensure an impartial inquiry, or will it shield the perpetrators under political pressure?” he asked, as per FPJ.
The Beed mosque blast has reignited debates on how anti-terror laws are applied in India. While Muslim activists, students, and organisations have often faced UAPA charges for lesser offences, the state’s reluctance to use the same law against those accused of attacking a place of worship exposes a stark inconsistency. The demand for an NIA or ATS investigation is growing, with many questioning whether the government will ensure justice or allow the perpetrators to escape with minimal consequences.
The Beed Incident: A microcosm of Maharashtra’s escalating communal tensions
As per a report of the Hindustan Times, Maharashtra has witnessed a staggering 823 incidents of communal unrest since the beginning of 2024, reflecting a sharp escalation in religious tensions. According to state officials, communal violence has erupted across multiple districts, including Nagpur, Nandurbar, Pune (Rural), Ratnagiri, Sangli, Beed, and Satara. Many of these incidents have been linked to orchestrated campaigns by right-wing organisations demanding the demolition of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, alongside the circulation of distorted narratives on social media designed to provoke unrest.
Statistics paint a grim picture of the deteriorating communal climate in Maharashtra. Since January, 4,836 communal crimes involving Hindu-Muslim tensions have been recorded, including 170 cognisable and 3,106 non-cognisable cases. Of particular concern are 371 incidents related to religious insults, underscoring how targeted provocations are being used to stoke sectarian divisions.
In the first three months of 2024 alone, authorities registered 156 criminal cases in January, 99 in February, and 78 by mid-March in connection with communal unrest. 102 of these cases were deemed cognisable—meaning they involved serious offences requiring immediate police action. Despite these alarming numbers, there has been little political will to curb hate-driven mobilisation, allowing tensions to fester.
One must also remember the recent incident of communal violence that took place in in central Nagpur on March 17, when mobs went on a rampage following a protest organised by Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP). These groups were demanding the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb, which they labelled a “symbol of pain and slavery.” The protest quickly turned into large-scale violence, with authorities identifying rumour-mongering and inflammatory content on social media as key triggers.
As per a report of Hindustan Times, Maharashtra Cyber Cell flagged 144 online posts across Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube that contained inflammatory content linked to the riots. Despite efforts to curb the spread of incitement—only 37 links were removed, while action was taken against 107—this digital hate machinery continues to fuel unrest.
The HT report further provides that incident of communal unrest has not been confined to traditionally sensitive areas. Even Maharashtra’s Konkan region, historically known for Hindu-Muslim harmony, has been shaken. In Rajapur, Ratnagiri, communal tensions flared when members of a Holi procession allegedly danced in front of Jama Masjid’s gate, damaging the structure while chanting religious slogans.
Right-wing narratives on social media immediately twisted the incident, falsely claiming that the mosque had been attacked, further escalating tensions. This pattern of provocation—using festivals as a pretext for targeted disruptions—has become alarmingly frequent.
Despite this, state officials continue to downplay the gravity of such incidents, insisting that Hindu-Muslim unity remains strong in Konkan and that such events are mere “aberrations.” However, this argument ignores a larger, deliberate trend—where once-peaceful areas are increasingly becoming sites of engineered communal flashpoints.
The Role of the State: Complicit or ineffective?
The recurring nature of these incidents across multiple districts points to a systemic failure—or worse, complicity—on the part of the state government. The selective application of the law is glaring. While harsh measures like UAPA have been used against Muslim activists for peaceful demonstrations, those openly instigating communal violence—whether on the streets or via digital platforms—continue to evade serious legal consequences.
Moreover, the administration’s failure to pre-emptively intervene despite clear warning signs—such as the circulation of incendiary social media content and mobilisations by right-wing groups—suggests a deliberate lack of political will. The growing normalisation of communal violence in Maharashtra underlines a dangerous shift: the state is no longer simply a passive observer but appears to be enabling and, in some cases, even facilitating these tensions.
The explosion at a mosque in Beed district of Maharashtra serves as yet another stark reminder of the escalating communal unrest across the state, following a troubling trend that has been unfolding since the beginning of the year. The Beed blast, which occurred amidst preparations for the joint celebration of Gudi Padwa and Ramzan Eid, is a culmination of rising religious tensions, exacerbated by right-wing propaganda and incendiary rhetoric from political figures.
This event mirrors broader patterns of communal violence seen in districts like Nagpur, Ratnagiri, and Satara, where attacks on religious sites and institutions have become disturbingly frequent. The explosion at Beed, allegedly orchestrated by local perpetrators using gelatin sticks, was intended to disrupt communal harmony during one of the most significant religious periods for both Hindus and Muslims. What makes the Beed attack particularly concerning is that it was preceded by a scuffle during a religious procession the previous night, which, according to locals, involved hate speech and threats of violence against the mosque.
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