Two Muslim perpetrators throw cow's head in Jagannath Mahadev Temple
Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, India 
13 June, 2024
Case Summary
Massive protests erupted in Ratlam’s Jaora area, Madhya Pradesh, after a severed cow's head was found in the premises of the Lord Jagannath temple. The incident was discovered by the temple priest, who informed the police and local residents. Outraged Hindus, including local devotees and Hindu groups, shut down the market and blocked a major road. Protestors marched to the Jaora police station, demanding the immediate arrest and public prosecution of the culprits. Police officials, including CSP Durgesh Armo, DIG Manoj Singh, and district collector Rajesh Batham, attempted to calm the crowd but resorted to tear gas and lathi charge when the crowd refused to disperse. The police quickly identified and arrested two suspects, Zakir and Shakir, from CCTV footage. Their houses were subsequently demolished due to unauthorised constructions. The Hindu groups wanted to march to the suspects' houses, but the police prevented this. CCTV footage showed the suspects arriving on a motorcycle and throwing pieces of beef into the temple in the early hours of June 14.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
In Hinduism, a temple is the abode of the Deity. The Deity in the Temple is consecrated, thereby, making it a real, breathing entity. Hindus believe that not just the Deity but the temple premises itself are sacred to Hindus since Hindus hold the faith that the entire Temple space is an amalgamation of the divine energy of the deity. Given the central significance of Temples in Hindu Dharma, any attack against a Hindu Temple or its peripheral premises is an attack on the faith itself and is born out of animosity towards the faith, of which, the Temple is a central tenet. Any manner of attack against a Temple and/or its premises would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. In this case, despite understanding that Hindu temples are centres of worship and sanctity and introducing meat into these spaces is considered a violation of their sacredness, the perpetrator desecrated the premises by throwing a severed cow's head inside the temple premises. Such acts are considered sacrilegious and driven by a deep-seated animosity and deliberately insulting against Hinduism and therefore listed in the hate tracker
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
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