Police Review: 71 of 645 Minority-Related Incidents Had Communal Elements in 2025

A yearlong review of official police records has found that the majority of incidents affecting minority communities in 2025 were criminal in nature rather than communal, according to a statement issued by the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing on Sunday (19 January).

The statement said crimes classified as non-communal included theft, neighbourhood disputes, land conflicts, personal rivalries and other offences not linked to religious identity. Police data showed that out of approximately 645 incidents recorded nationwide, only 71 were found to contain communal elements.

The findings were released as part of a broader transparency initiative aimed at presenting an evidence-based assessment of crime trends. The annual review analysed verified first information reports (FIRs), general diaries (GDs), charge sheets and investigation updates filed across the country between January and December 2025.

According to the review, among the 71 incidents with communal elements, 38 involved vandalism of temples, eight were arson attacks on temples, one involved theft, and one was a murder case. The remaining 23 incidents included threats to damage idols and online provocations.

Police said cases were filed in 50 of these communal incidents, leading to 50 arrests, while preventive measures and ongoing investigations were pursued in the remaining cases.

In contrast, of the 574 incidents categorised as non-communal, 172 were unnatural deaths, 106 involved theft, 58 were rape cases, 51 stemmed from neighbourhood disputes, 26 were linked to prior enmity, 23 involved land disputes, and 138 fell under other criminal categories such as abduction, extortion and intimidation. Authorities registered 390 formal cases and 154 unnatural death reports, resulting in 498 arrests nationwide.

Emphasising the need to clearly distinguish between communal and non-communal incidents, a senior police official said the classification was essential to counter misinformation and ensure effective law enforcement responses. “While every crime is serious, the data shows that the majority of incidents affecting minority citizens are part of broader law-and-order challenges faced across communities,” the official said.