LUCKNOW: Muslims in the village of Bhonkhera in Sikanderabad region of BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh state were shocked to begin the new year with a chilling threat.
A derogatory pamphlet distributed in the village warned them to vacate their homes within 24 hours or face being burned alive.
The threatening note, typed in Hindi, explicitly targeted Muslim families, ordering them to leave or suffer horrific consequences. The pamphlet read: “All Kathmullas [a derogatory term for Muslims] must vacate the village within 24 hours, or you will be burned alive.” The name “Kattar Sanatani Vikram” appeared at the bottom, with religious slogans like “Jai Shree Ram” and “Har Har Mahadev” inscribed at either end.
One of the village residents, Sajid Ali, found the pamphlet early on January 1 while heading to the mosque for Fajr prayers. “I was taken aback. I couldn’t step forward. While I was standing there, people from nearby houses began coming out, all echoing the same shock and wondering who could have done this,” Sajid said. He said that most of the villagers stayed inside their homes that day, fearing that something might happen. The threatening message has turned the peaceful settlement into a high-alert zone.
Bhonkhera village is home to at least 15 Muslim families, all related to one another, while Hindus live there in large numbers. Residents say the two communities have lived together peacefully for over six generations. Yet fear continues to grip the village days after the pamphlets were discovered, with residents saying the threat has altered daily life. Local lawyer Muhammad Hanif, who is assisting the residents, called this incident a direct and grave threat aimed at breaking decades of communal harmony in the region.
For residents, the words on the pamphlet mirror a fear that has now seeped into everyday life, restricting movement and disrupting sleep. Hajra, a 65-year-old woman who cooks midday meals at a government primary school, said the threat has turned routine survival into quiet fear. “Every day I go to school to cook food for children,” she said.
“But since this warning appeared, my heart keeps pounding, and I finish my work quickly just to return home.” “We are fearful. What if the warning turns true someday?” she asked. She added that one family member stays awake at night to keep watch while the rest try to sleep.
Although the FIR has been registered, residents say they have not been informed of any progress in the investigation. The inspector at Sikandrabad police station said, “It could be the act of miscreants. We are still trying to identify who could be behind this.” “There is peace in the area, and police patrolling is being carried out daily to avoid any untoward incident,” the officer said.
Despite intimidation, the Muslims in the village have made it clear that they will not leave their ancestral homes. “We are not going to leave, but given the incidents happening these days and the lack of police action, it makes us feel that anything can happen,” said one resident.
The incident adds to a broader pattern of anonymous pamphlets, boycott calls, and demographic threats targeting Muslims across parts of Uttar Pradesh and rest of India.
