A shocking controversy has erupted at Viva College in Virar West, around 86 km from Mumbai, where one of the Vasai-Virar region’s largest Garba festivals is hosted. The event, which draws thousands of participants, including students and outsiders who purchase passes, became the center of a storm after disturbing allegations of ‘love jihad’ surfaced involving a Class 12 student of the institution.
The incident came to light during Friday’s Navaratri celebrations when organizers noticed the student filming female participants. On checking his phone, they reportedly found multiple videos of girls, alongside obscene chats and conversations that outlined plans to lure Hindu girls into relationships and “ruin” them.
Some of the leaked messages contained disturbing instructions, with one explicitly urging that not a single Hindu girl be “left untouched” after entering the Garba grounds.
College authorities and event organizers immediately lodged a complaint at Bolinj police station. While the student was quickly identified and handed over to the authorities, an FIR was officially registered only three days later, on Monday. The investigation revealed that the minor was allegedly using a specific mobile app to coordinate with others on targeting Hindu girls, an alarming detail, as similar patterns have reportedly emerged in cities like Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
The controversy has inflamed tensions across Vasai-Virar, already on edge amid demands by several political groups to restrict the entry of Muslim boys into Garba venues. The issue has been further aggravated by recent incidents like provocative “I Love Mohammad” posters at festival sites, which critics claim are attempts to disrupt communal harmony. The Virar case has now become a flashpoint, fueling heated debates across Maharashtra.
Professor Deepa Verma, speaking for Viva College, clarified that the institution is strictly educational and has no political affiliations. She added that the student in question had only joined the college a few months ago and assured that strict action would follow pending the police probe. Meanwhile, Hindu groups have intensified calls for a thorough investigation into a “blatant attempt at love jihad,” warning that such incidents cannot be brushed aside.
