HOWL Collective in Madhya Pradesh Lives in Fear Amid Arrests, Mob Attacks, and Conversion Allegations
Bhopal: Facing attacks from Hindutva groups and targeted by police, members of Madhya Pradesh-based group HOWL – How Ought We Live – are living in fear.
One of their founding members and a journalist, Saurav Benarjee, is in police custody. Another member, Niladri Mukhopadhyay, a filmmaker from West Bengal, has gone missing from Indore, with no information available about his whereabouts.
Located amidst lush green forest and hills in Shukrawasa village of Dewas district, HOWL describes itself as a self-sustained, informal collective of working professionals engaged in education and awareness initiatives among marginalised communities.
However, lately, the group has been labeled with accusations like “jungle mein dharmantaran (religious conversion in the jungle)” by the media and right-wing organisations.
No substantial proof on religious conversion claims
A HOWL member, on the condition of anonymity due to constant threat after the dramatic events, says, “Saurav Benarjee was arbitrarily held in custody since July 24 and was only produced in court on July 28. He is now in a three-day police remand. Our member Niladri Mukhopadhyay has been missing since July 24. Since then, right-wing extremist groups have circulated our names, phone numbers, and addresses. They are openly threatening us, saying: ‘Do what you want when you find them.’
“Not a single person has come forward claiming they were forced to convert, yet both the administration and Bajrang Dal continue to shift the narrative. Even though none of us is Christian, they first accused us of converting people to Christianity. Now, the claim is that since we don’t follow Sanatana Dharma, it automatically amounts to conversion. The administration says we have hurt religious sentiments. On what grounds?”
As many as five individuals were allegedly picked up from the HOWL campus on the afternoon of July 22 from Shukrawasa. The police searched their campus without prior notice or a warrant. The members alleged they were brutally beaten when they resisted and asserted their civic rights. Their phones and laptops were confiscated, and the police reportedly breached their privacy by reading personal messages and demanding access to their bank accounts.
The five detainees were physically assaulted, verbally abused, and deeply humiliated. They were released later that night, only after being forced to give statements, at which point an official notice was finally served. The next day, the Hindi media aggravated the religious sentiments by headlines like “Jungle mein darmantaran ka adda benaqab (Religious conversion hub exposed in the Jungle)”, “Jungle mein chal raha tha do number kaam (Shady business was operating in the jungle)”, and so on.
Indore press conference turned violent
Dewas town inspector Ajay Singh Gurjar refused to provide complete information over the phone, saying it might affect the investigation and the accused could take advantage of it. “We received several complaints, based on which a youth, Saurav Benarjee, has been produced in court. We have obtained his police remand and are investigating accordingly. Niladri Mukhopadhyay has been residing near Shukrawasa. He has been separated from his companions. His location was traced to Shukrawasa. An FIR has been registered against Saurav Benarjee under charges of outraging religious sentiments. The rest is under investigation,” he said.
On July 24, the HOWL collective organised a press conference at Indore Press Club to counter the allegations levied against them. Nine members of the Samiti had travelled from their village with documents, evidence and proof that no religious conversions had taken place. However, the event was sabotaged by a mob of nearly 100 people associated with the Bajrang Dal.
Benarjee was assaulted inside the press club, while the other members had to save themselves. The group gathered at the Indore Samachar office afterwards, speaking to the media over the phone and through interviews.
A Samiti member described what followed:
Five of us were on our way to file a complaint when a police SUV from Barotha overtook our car on a bridge in Indore. How did they know our location? They took us back to Indore Samachar and insisted that Mr. Benarjee meet the Dewas SP, but we refused without legal support. Meanwhile, a mob wearing saffron gamchhas gathered outside and attacked us. The police eventually rescued us and took us to the Dewas SP.
From that moment, Niladri Mukhopadhyay, our filmmaker member from West Bengal, was missing. He was not in the police SUV. Although police claimed he was safe, we have had no information since. Niladri does not speak Hindi well. A video shows someone asking where he’s headed, and he replies, ‘Shukrawasa,’ before the video abruptly cuts off.
The member further alleges that Lok Swami, a local newspaper, published a full-page article a few months ago accusing HOWL of religious conversion, intoxication and illegal activities. They filed a complaint at Barotha police station, but did not pursue any defamation suit due to financial constraints. “We believe every rupee should go toward improving people’s lives,” he says.
Nishita, a group member whose mother made allegations of manipulation and brainwashing, also denied all allegations made against the group by her parents.
The price of empowering marginalised
The HOWL collective had started an informal education setup to raise awareness among marginalised communities and formed the Parvatpura Panchayat Development Committee (PTDC) to ensure proper implementation of government schemes in Parvatpura, from roads and electricity to sanitation and schools, all in collaboration with residents.
They have been educating marginalised communities to a point where one of them even became a hawker delivering newspapers to ensure access to information. They have also been working for the rights of landless people. Members believe they are being targeted for their work.
In 2022, the HOWL collective had fielded an independent woman candidate for the panchayat elections who went on to defeat a family that had ruled for 30 years. Though the Samiti only got 100 votes, it changed the entire dynamic.
Marginalised individuals, who had worked as slaves on rich farmers’ land or survived as daily wagers, now began asking questions. They started using the CM helpline and demanding inclusion in government schemes. It challenged the status quo, and the system was not ready to accept it. The group was attacked in 2023 for the first time by a mob of masked men. They responded legally, submitting a memorandum to the collector; an inquiry followed and it cleared HOWL of all charges.
Counsel advocate Jayant Vipat said the only offence registered against Saurav Benarjee until July 28 was under Section 299 (outraging religious sentiments) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023.
“Saurav was kept in custody since July 24. The police neither registered a case nor produced him in court. We had to apply to Section 57 of the BNSS (Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita) before the Judicial Magistrate First Class. Only then did they file the case and produced him to court,” he said.
Vipat added that the group was reporting threats to the SP Dewas and Barotha Police Station since 2023, but no action was taken.
“The police would have found it in earlier investigations if there was any substance to the religious conversion claims. The government is protecting people who are exhibiting on religious grounds. All the members of the group are Hindus and work for poor Hindus and the backward class of people, such as Adivasis. The group has been receiving local support despite the attack,” he said.
Several social and political organisations, including the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), SUCI, and others, had planned to form a human chain on July 28 at City Centre Regal Square in Indore. The event was meant to express solidarity with the HOWL group and detained journalist Saurav Benarjee. However, before the protest could begin, at least 15 people were picked up by the police from their homes or on the way and taken to the police station.
A witness described the heavy security presence at the scene, which included two ambulances, a fire brigade, a riot control vehicle, over 50 camerapersons and more than 100 police personnel. Bajrang Dal had called for a counter-protest against alleged religious conversions at the same time and location.
Also Read: PM Modi Hails ‘Op Mahadev’, Says It Played Crucial Role in Eliminating Cowardly Terrorists
