The Bombay riots, a series of violent events in Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra, took place between December 1992 and January 1993, resulting in the deaths of approximately 900 people.^[57] These riots were primarily fueled by escalating tensions following the demolition of the Babri Masjid by Hindu Karsevaks in Ayodhya in December 1992, and the subsequent large-scale protests and violent reactions from both the Muslim and Hindu communities regarding the Ram Temple issue.

The Srikrishna Commission, established by the government to investigate the riots, concluded that there were two distinct phases in the violence. The first phase began immediately after the demolition of the Babri Mosque on 6 December 1992 and was characterized mainly by Muslim instigation as a reaction to the destruction of the mosque. The second phase, primarily a Hindu backlash, occurred in January 1993. This phase was provoked by several incidents, including the killing of Hindu Mathadi workers by Muslim individuals in Dongri, the stabbing of Hindus in Muslim majority areas, and the horrific burning of six Hindus, including a disabled girl, in Radhabai Chawl.

The Commission's report highlighted the role of the media in exacerbating the situation, particularly newspapers like Saamna and Navaakal, which published inciting and exaggerated accounts of the Mathadi murders and the Radhabai Chawl incident. Starting from January 8, 1993, the riots intensified, involving confrontations between Hindus led by the Shiv Sena and Muslims, with the involvement of the Bombay underworld being a potential factor.

The violence resulted in the deaths of approximately 575 Muslims and 275 Hindus.^[58] The Commission noted that what started as a communal conflict was eventually taken over by local criminal elements, seeing an opportunity for personal gain. The Shiv Sena, a right-wing Hindu organization, initially supported the "retaliation" but later found the violence spiraling out of control, leading to its leaders appealing for an end to the rioting. The Bombay riots represent a dark chapter in India's history, highlighting the dangers of communal tension and the destructive potential of religious and sectarian strife.