The 1996 Bathani Tola massacre was an incident of caste-related violence in which an upper-caste militia killed 21 Dalits, including women and children, in the Bhojpur district in Indian state of Bihar on 11 July 1996.
The attacks were allegedly by members of the Ranvir Sena, in response to Dalit labourers' demand for wage increase.
The attack was reportedly in retaliation for the earlier killing of nine Bhumihars in Nandhi village, by the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation.
CPIML Liberation members convinced the laborers to refuse employment at that wage and called for an economic blockade against landowners.
The attack on Bathani Tola, was an effort to weaken the resolve of Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation cadres organizing in the village and to prevent a labor boycott on hundreds of acres of land.