On the night of October 30, the campus of HOWL (How Ought We Live), a social organization, was set on fire in the tribal village of Shukrawasa of Madhyapradesh. Members of HOWL allege that the blaze was deliberately ignited following the prior demolition of the campus by local authorities. The fire destroyed the library, two vehicles, a flour mill, and other machinery.

HOWL founder Sourav Banerjee and other members said the campus was a symbol of self-reliance and social justice for the tribal community. The centre hosted projects such as fish farming, poultry, vocational training, and education.

Members alleged that before the fire, they had received threats from local Hindutva groups and two individuals, Nilesh Patel and Brahmanand Chaudhary. Villagers were reportedly too scared to give statements when the fire occurred.

HOWL has also faced allegations of religious conversion, which the organization has dismissed as completely baseless. All members are Hindus, and no conversions took place in the village. In July 2025, HOWL founder Banerjee was taken into custody without a warrant and later released on bail.

Members accused the police and local administration of harassment and barring them from entering the village. HOWL member Shweta Raghuvanshi said the organization’s initiatives had transformed the lives of women and families in the village, with several villagers gaining employment through vocational training.

HOWL has demanded a high-level inquiry into the incident and vowed to rebuild the campus. Members stated firmly “This was our campus, our land, our flour mill, our library — and we will rebuild it.”