A large mob armed with wooden sticks forcefully entered the Magneto Mall in Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh, on Wednesday, December 25, 2025, and proceeded to vandalise decorations and installations set up for Christmas. The violent incident unfolded on a day when a state-wide shutdown, or 'bandh', was being observed to protest against alleged illegal religious conversions.
Violent Scenes Inside the Mall
According to eyewitness accounts from mall employees, a group of 80 to 90 people barged into the shopping complex. Security personnel present at the location made attempts to stop the intruders, but their efforts proved futile against the aggressive crowd. The mob specifically targeted and destroyed Christmas-related festive decorations.
One employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, expressed shock at the unprecedented behaviour. "We were supporting the bandh call," the employee stated, noting that the mall has historically observed such shutdowns over its 16 years of operation. "But I have never seen such behaviour. The mob threatened us…shouted at us. They indulged in violence."
Another staff member described a scene of fear and panic. "Some women were crying… they (the mob) were charging at all those who were trying to stop them," the employee recounted. "They kept saying we do not want to see Santa. People who had come to watch movies got scared."
Context of the Chhattisgarh Bandh
The day-long 'Chhattisgarh bandh' was called by the Sarva Hindu Samaj. The protest was triggered by recent communal tensions in the state's Bastar region, specifically in Kanker district. The flashpoint was a dispute between two communities over the burial of a person according to Christian rituals.
The bandh received a mixed response across Chhattisgarh. While many shops and commercial establishments remained shut in urban areas, its impact was more limited in some rural pockets. Despite the mixed observance, the day was marked by isolated incidents of violence, with the Raipur mall attack being a prominent example.
Root Cause: The Kanker Burial Dispute
The chain of events leading to the bandh began on December 16. The dispute erupted after Rajman Salam, the sarpanch of Badetevda village in Kanker district, buried his father's body on his private land following Christian customs. This action led to heightened tensions between communities.
The situation escalated on December 18, resulting in violent clashes in Badetevda village. More than 20 police personnel were among several people injured in the violence. A mob also vandalised a local prayer hall and set fire to articles inside it. Following legal procedures, the buried body was later exhumed and re-interred in a designated burial ground.
The mall vandalism in Raipur appears to be a direct spillover of this broader socio-religious conflict, highlighting the fragile communal atmosphere in parts of the state during the festive season.
