Hindu religious Garba event desecrated in Indore, Madhya Pradesh; Muslim man disguised as Hindu to enter and harass Hindu women
Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India 
26 September, 2025
Case Summary
A man named Mohammad Hamid Raza created unrest during a Navratri Garba festival in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, when he entered the venue under the false identity of “Rahul.” The incident occurred in the Khajrana police station area. Raza was reportedly keeping a close watch on a young Hindu woman inside the festival grounds. His suspicious behaviour prompted organisers to check his Aadhaar card, which revealed his true identity. Members of the Bajrang Dal caught him at the spot and physically confronted him before handing him over. Police from Khajrana station arrived quickly to contain the situation and took Raza into custody for questioning. Bajrang Dal filed a formal complaint, and a case was registered against him. The incident took place in the context of increased vigilance during Navratri. In several districts across Madhya Pradesh, ID cards were made compulsory for entry into Garba events. Hindu organisations raised concerns that Muslim youths disguise themselves as Hindus to enter Garba venues and harass Hindu girls.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The primary category in this case is: Attack on Hindu religious representations. The subcategory under this is: Breaking rules of place of worship. Sanatan Dharma is not a religion of one book, which is to say that while it has religious scriptures that form the central tenets of the faith, there are several traditions followed through thousands of years, mostly passed from generation to generation orally. One of these oral traditions or written traditions is the rules of specific temples. Certain temples have rules which are traditional rules, dependent on the worship of the presiding deities. These rules and traditions have been followed for thousands of years whether they find scriptural mention or not. Such traditions are based on the nature and rules of worship of the presiding deity of that temple. Any non-compliance of these traditions owing to animosity towards the faith or for the sake of activism stems not only from the lack of faith in the presiding deity but also disregard for the faith of the devotees of that deity/temple and implicit bias against the faith, the tradition and the deity itself. Since these specific traditions are central to the faith of the devotees of that specific temple and presiding deity, any non-compliance with these traditional rules would be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. The other subcategory selected is- Defiling religious customs. Sanatan Dharma is not a religion of one book, which is to say that while it has religious scriptures that form the central tenets of the faith, there are several traditions followed through thousands of years, mostly passed from generation to generation orally. There are several such customs and traditions that are followed by various Hindus and Hindu sects. Defiling of these traditions and customs is a breach of an individual or group’s religious practices. Such practices can range from dietary restrictions like not eating non-vegetarian food for a certain period of the year, not eating non-vegetarian food at all, not eating beef since the cow is considered holy in Hinduism, the sanctity of religious customs followed in the house (like many ISCKON devotees), etc. Any malicious action leading to the breach of such traditions or defilement of these traditions owing to animosity towards the faith or for the sake of activism stems not only from the lack of faith in the religion itself but also from disregard for the faith of the devotees who follow the customs/traditions and implicit bias against the faith, the tradition itself. Since these specific traditions are central to the faith of the devotees of that specific sect of Hindus, any non-compliance with these traditional rules would be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. This case has been added to the tracker because it represents two distinct yet interconnected forms of religiously motivated hate crimes: a targeted act against Hindu women through religious deception, and a violation of Hindu religious space by disregarding the sanctity of a Navratri Garba pandal. The first and most direct aspect of this crime lies in its impact on women. Mohammad Hamid Raza concealed his Muslim identity and entered the Garba venue under the false Hindu name “Rahul.” His actions were not incidental but carried a deliberate intention of deception. By hiding his real identity, he positioned himself to approach Hindu women under false pretences. The fact that his interest was directed at a Hindu woman inside the venue illustrates that his religious disguise was not arbitrary but chosen with the aim of specifically targeting women of a different faith. This makes the religious identity of Hindu women central to the crime. It is therefore not merely a case of misrepresentation, but of identity-based targeting where Hindu women were selectively approached, deceived, and endangered precisely because of their religious belonging. The deceitful act of assuming a Hindu identity to gain access to Hindu women constitutes a hate crime against women, as it subjects them to psychological and social harm rooted in religious hostility. The second dimension of this case lies in the breach of religious space and the rules of worship associated with it. A Navratri Garba pandal is not a neutral public ground but a sanctified space dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga and the observance of Hindu ritual traditions. Entry into such a space carries unspoken but well-understood rules rooted in devotion and religious belonging. While non-Hindus may sometimes be present as guests under explicit acceptance, deliberate entry under false identity strips the act of any goodwill and instead marks it as an act of hostility towards Hindu religious sentiment. By disguising himself to pass as a Hindu, Raza displayed not only disregard but contempt for the faith and its sacred boundaries. The Garba pandal, though temporary, is a consecrated environment where religious traditions and rules must be respected. Violating those rules through deceit and animosity is equivalent to an intrusion into temple space. This transforms the act into a religiously motivated violation of Hindu identity and religious observance. Together, these dimensions underscore why the incident must be categorised as a hate crime against Hindus and against Hindu women. The deliberate religious disguise shows that Hindu women were targeted not randomly, but specifically because of their faith. At the same time, the intrusion into the sacred space of a Garba pandal disregarded the religious traditions and boundaries that are integral to Hindu worship. The combination of religious deception, gender-specific targeting, and violation of sanctity reflects a pattern where Hindu identity is directly undermined and attacked, and where Hindu women are placed at risk through fraudulent entry into their cultural and religious gatherings. This case therefore exemplifies predatory behaviour rooted in both gendered exploitation and religious hostility. It highlights how religious disguise can function as both a tool of deception against women and an act of contempt against sacred Hindu spaces, making it imperative to document as part of the larger landscape of religiously motivated hate crimes. Disclaimer: It is important to clarify that none of the media sources covering this case have specified the exact date on which the incident happened. Therefore, for documentation purposes, we have recorded the date based on when the incident was reported in the media.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
