Severed calf head thrown in Kali Mandir premises
South Delhi, Delhi, India 
19 June, 2024
Case Summary
On June 20, 2024, a beheaded calf was discovered near Gupta Colony in Delhi's Sangam Vihar, causing a stir among the local Hindu community. Reports indicate that the severed calf parts were found in a Kali Mandir, raising concerns about anti-Hindu forces inciting fear and unrest. South Delhi DCP Ankit Chauhan reported that the police received a call about the calf's body around 6:30 PM and immediately began investigating, forming five teams and scanning nearby CCTVs. Chauhan assured that strict action would be taken against those responsible.
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 severed calf parts inside the temple premises. The intent behind the action could only possibly be that of provoking Hindu worshippers and showing disrespect towards the Hindu faith. It is also pertinent to understand that a calf/cow holds specific significance in Hinduism. The cow is considered a deeply sacred religious symbol in Hinduism and the slaughter of the cow is considered the greatest sin. The cow has been used to persecute Hindus for centuries - with Hindus being force-fed beef for the purpose of religious conversion to slaughtered cows being thrown in temple premises. The fact that a calf was slaughtered and the head was thrown inside a temple signals the intent of the crime, which was to desecrate the Temple and the faith of Hindus. For that reason, this case is being documented as a religiously motivated hate crime.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
N/A
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
