Muslim man attacks religious procession on Hanuman Jayanti, enters the crowd and threatens devotees with a sword
Karimnagar, Telangana, India 
24 May, 2024
Case Summary
There was tension in the Karimnagar district of Telangana following an altercation that occurred during a religious procession conducted by Hindu pilgrims. Reports state that as Lord Hanuman's devotees were carrying out their religious procession, an intoxicated man 'from another community' suddenly appeared with a sword and began to threaten them. The incident happened close to Prashant Nagar's Hanuman Temple. The man 'from another community' was apprehended by the police. Later, as Hindus protested the incident, some Hindu devotees were also arrested with politicians and Hindu leaders condemning the high-handedness of the police against Hindu devotees.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The outward celebration and display of religious symbols in an intrinsic part of Hinduism. Religious processions on various festivals are age-old traditions and a way to manifest faith and form a part of the religious practices of Hindus. On several occasions, such religious processions come under attack by non-Hindu mobs, in a manifestation of their animosity towards Hinduism and their practices. The reasons cited for such violent attacks are many and range from crossing a non-Hindu resident-dominated area to playing loud music, crossing from an area where there is a religious structure of another faith etc. The violent attacks are triggered by the outward display of religiosity by Hindus. The attacks are mainly a manifestation of religious supremacist doctrine which believes that idolatry, essentially the Hindu faith, is one that deserves to be annihilated since the very tenets of Hinduism, its practices and traditions are considered a sin in those doctrines. Since these attacks emanate from intrinsic and doctrinal animosity towards Hindus and Hinduism, it is considered a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. In this case, the man 'from another community' entered the crowd with a sword and started threatening the devotees. He had raised objections to the religious procession being conducted by the Hindu devotees. It is pertinent to note here that the Hindu devotees were peacefully carrying out their religious procession and had offered no provocation for the miscreant to threaten them. An attack on a religious procession by miscreants from another community without provocation indicates the underlying motivation of the crime was religious prejudice and animosity. For this reason, the case has been documented in the database.
Case Status
Case sub-judice
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
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