Pune - In Maharashtra’s Paud village, part of Pune district’s scenic Mulshi taluka, over 250 Muslims have allegedly fled their homes following rising communal tensions, threats, and an economic boycott. The spark: an incident on May 3 involving the alleged desecration of a Hindu idol by a Muslim youth, which spiraled into collective punishment of the local Muslim community.
For 60-year-old Faheemuddin Ansari, the scent of fresh-baked bread was more than livelihood—it was legacy. His family’s “New Sangam Bakery” had been a fixture in Paud for over two decades. But for the last two months, ovens have gone cold and shutters remain down. Ansari alleges that local villagers stopped him from reopening after the May incident.
The arrest of a 19-year-old Muslim boy for allegedly desecrating a Hindu idol in the village’s Nageshwar temple triggered simmering communal unrest. While the youth was arrested, local Muslims say they’re paying the price.
Ansari told Newslaundry, “I’ve written to the police, district authorities—even Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. But all I’ve received are empty assurances.” He had recently taken out a ₹5 lakh loan to repair the bakery. Now, with zero income and monthly installments to pay, he’s forced to borrow just to survive.
Local residents say at least 250 of Paud’s 350 Muslim residents have been forced to leave. Many owned bakeries, junk shops, salons, or eateries. “We’ve lived peacefully for decades,” Ansari said. “Why are we suddenly being treated as outsiders?”
In June, when he tried to clean the bakery and reopen, three men allegedly stopped him and recorded a video. Later, his brother received a call from the village head (sarpanch), warning them not to proceed. “Even if ₹2 lakh worth of goods rots, don’t open the bakery,” Ansari recalls being told.
The village sarpanch, Baba Agne, denied any knowledge of threats or specific incidents involving Ansari. However, multiple complaints filed by local Muslims, reviewed by Newslaundry, contradict this.
Economic Boycott and Fear
Similar stories emerge across Paud. Rizwan Sheikh’s “New Bharat Bakery” was allegedly attacked while he was away for his daughter’s wedding. Eighteen of his 22 goats were stolen, and his bakery vandalized. “I used to earn ₹50,000 a month. Now I earn nothing,” he said. His children had to stop attending school due to financial hardship.
Sheikh’s wife, Tarannum, says local shopkeepers have refused to sell them food. “We now have to go to another village for basic groceries,” she said.
Even long-time Hindu friends avoid interaction out of fear, Sheikh added. “They whisper that if they are seen with us, they’ll also face boycott.”
Collateral Impact on Hindu Workers
The boycott has affected others too. Gopal Bhartiya and Vinod Kumar, migrant Hindu workers from Prayagraj, lost their jobs after the bakery they worked at shut down. “We’ve been unemployed for two months now,” Gopal said. “Even in this crisis, our Muslim employer helped us survive.”
ID Checks and Mass Exodus
Sharafat Mansoori said that on May 3, a group of men stormed into his bakery demanding ID checks of workers and threatening violence if Muslims didn’t leave. Three days later, they returned, prompting Mansoori to flee with his family. He’s now staying in Pune with relatives.
Others, like scrap dealer Anwar Ansari, lost everything. His godown was allegedly set on fire, causing ₹20 lakh in damages. “It wasn’t just a shop—it was my life’s work,” he said. “No one helped. I’m terrified for my family’s safety.”
Saloon-owner Naseer Ansari, now in Mumbai, says he still can’t comprehend the turn of events. “Just because the boy was Muslim, should the entire community suffer?”
Naeem Ahmed Ansari, who has sold bakery items for 22 years, fled to Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, after receiving death threats. “They came asking for my ID and told me to leave. I left that very day.”
No Action, Just Warnings
Despite at least ten formal complaints, Pune Rural Police has taken little action. Superintendent Sandeep Singh Gill told Newslaundry, “This is a sensitive issue. We’re working in a phased manner.” He added that anti-Muslim posters had been removed after talks with village leaders, and a meeting with community elders is planned.
But the fear isn't new. Earlier, in other Mulshi villages, banners had appeared calling for a boycott of Muslims and banning "outsiders" from offering prayers in mosques.
Emerging Pattern of Exclusion
In neighboring Bhukum village, a resolution called for a “Muslim Community Control Committee” to monitor property transactions and restrict religious gatherings. Activist Milind Champanerkar warned of a spreading pattern of exclusion: “If authorities remain inactive, this will spread across rural Pune and beyond.”
Local MP Supriya Sule and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar have been contacted but haven’t issued clear statements. District Collector Jitendra Dudi has also remained unreachable.
Social activist Azhar Tamboli called the developments “a dangerous parallel power structure” targeting Muslims through economic isolation and illegal resolutions. “If authorities don’t act, we’ll go to court,” he said.
What’s happening in Paud isn’t just communal tension—it’s a stark warning of what systematic exclusion and administrative silence can unleash. When citizens are penalized collectively for one person’s alleged crime, the fabric of democracy frays. As families leave their homes, abandon their businesses, and children drop out of school, the question remains: who will be held accountable?
This report is based on original ground reporting.
Social Footer