Raipur mall vandalism: Accused get hero’s welcome with garlands, procession; Congress alleges BJP patronage

RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh Congress accused the BJP govt of patronising hooliganism after men arrested for vandalising Christmas decorations at a Raipur mall were released on bail and accorded a hero’s welcome with garlands, slogans, and a procession. The party alleged that the public celebration of the accused exposed official backing for mob violence.

The party on Sunday alleged that the BJP govt supported hooliganism, citing the violence that occurred at a mall in the state capital on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2025, when hundreds of Sarv Hindu Samaj activists vandalised shops. The party claimed the incident brought global shame to the state.

Congress communication head Sushil Anand Shukla said, “The state govt supported hooliganism. The incident brought shame and criticised the govt for the release of the activists. The state govt should take stringent action against those involved in the violence, instead released them.”

Six men who were arrested for vandalising Christmas decorations at Magneto Mall received a grand welcome from Bajrang Dal activists after being released on bail by a sessions court this week, Shukla said, adding it showed the govt’s hand behind the violence.

Members of the Sarv Hindu Samaj greeted the accused with garlands and chants of “Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram” as they walked out of Raipur jail on Thursday. The group later took out a procession in which the 6 men were carried on shoulders. Social media reels posted by the outfit termed the accused “Hindu Tigers.”

The arrests followed an incident on December 24 during a state-wide bandh called by the Sarva Hindu Samaj to protest alleged religious conversions. A mob armed with wooden sticks barged into Magneto Mall and destroyed Christmas installations, including statues of Santa Claus and snowmen. Security guards were overpowered during the ruckus.

Bajrang Dal state spokesperson Rishi Mishra defended the actions, stating that the mall remained open and displayed festival-related products despite the bandh call. “We vandalised the property for the violation of the bandh call. If someone calls us goons for holding the Hindu flag high, we are fine with it. We will do whatever is necessary to protect Hindu Samaj,” Mishra said.

Responding to queries regarding provocative slogans raised during the December 31, 2025 procession, Mishra claimed there was nothing wrong with the slogans, as the issue pertained to religious conversions in Chhattisgarh.

The Telibandha police arrested the 6 men and booked a minor on December 27 under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 190, 191(2), 115(2), 324(2), and 331(3). The charges include rioting, unlawful assembly, causing hurt, and criminal trespass.

Following the arrests, nearly 300 Bajrang Dal workers blocked an arterial road outside the Telibandha police station for 9 hours, performing a ‘havan’ and chanting the Hanuman Chalisa. No FIR was registered regarding the road blockade.

The December 24 Chhattisgarh Bandh was triggered by clashes in Kanker district of the Bastar region over the burial of a person from a converted family.

Taking to her social media platform ‘X’, Congress leader Dr Shama Mohamed wrote, “Rapists of Bilkis Bano were garlanded after their release and were even used in BJP campaigns. Now, the goons who vandalised Christmas celebrations in a mall in Chhattisgarh are being welcomed like heroes after their release. This is what the BJP and @narendramodi turned India into. How can such criminals be released and celebrated? The Christian community in Kerala and across the country is watching.”