2 Muslim female beggars use their children to vandalise several Ganesh idols
Surat, Gujarat, India 
9 September, 2024
Case Summary
On September 10, 2024, police in Surat arrested two women, Rubyna Irfan Pathan and Laima Salim Shaikh, for vandalising Ganesh idols in the Soni Bazar area. The women were accused of inciting their young children to break the idols, leading to significant damage and a reported loss of approximately ₹60,000 for the shopkeeper, Vishal Hiralal Khalasi, who sells Lord Ganapati idols. Pathan and Shaikh reside on a footpath bridge and earn their living through begging. The police reported that the women instigated the destruction of around ten idols, using their children, aged five to six, to carry out the vandalism.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been documented as a religious hate crime because the details clearly show that the offender had a bias against the Hindu faith and that the offence was performed in conjunction with that bias. Based on the case details, it has been added under one prime category of the tracker, which is- Attack on Hindu religious symbols. Under this, the sub-category selected is- Desecration of Hindu religious symbol. Icons and symbols or a religious representation of a spiritual ideal are widely revered in Hinduism. Iconography is of vital significance in the Hindu milieu. It helps connect people’s spiritual beliefs with the real world. Iconography within the Hindu faith takes several shapes and forms. Murtis are of most significance to Hindus, to which daily rituals, prayers and offerings are done. Besides the murtis, there are several other symbols which have deep significance in the Hindu faith – the Om and Swastika for example. Since these Hindu religious symbols hold paramount importance in Hinduism, any desecration of symbols, icons, murtis, religious representations and manifestations, is driven by animosity towards the faith itself which manifests itself through these murtis, icons and symbols. Therefore, any desecration of these Hindu religious symbols and representations is considered religiously motivated hate crimes under this category. Hinduism holds its deities in deep reverence, considering them sacrosanct. Despite understanding this, two Muslim women, in this case, incited their children to vandalise Ganesh idols. The act of desecration of idols reflects a deliberate affront against Hinduism. Such behaviour stems from animosity towards the religion and its followers, indicating an intentional insult and disregard for the sacredness of the temple. Another disturbing aspect of this case is that the individuals who actually participated in the criminal act were minors. This highlights how animosity against Hindus and their faith seems to be tragically ingrained from a young age. This hatred, historically sown by Muslim radicals, particularly targets Hindus, who have long suffered from such prejudice. These radicals openly endorse Islamic supremacy and harbour animosity towards Hindus. Although it was Muslim children who vandalised the Ganesh idols, the incident underscores the ingrained hostility that Islamists have towards Hinduism, which fuels these kinds of acts. Given that the fundamental motivation behind this incident is contempt for the Hindu religion, this instance has been added to the tracker under the following category.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
both
Sources 
