Temple desecrated as Muslim man urinates on temple walls, assaults Hindu youth for opposing the act

Case ID : 0b67589 | Location : Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India | Date of Incident : Tue, 30 July, 2024

Case ID : 0b67589

Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

30 July, 2024

Temple desecrated as Muslim man urinates on temple walls, assaults Hindu youth for opposing the act

Attack not resulting in death

Attacked for opposing radicals or trying to save victim

Attack on Hindu religious representations

Desecration of Hindu religious symbol

Case Summary

On July 31st, a Hindu man named Dilip was brutally assaulted in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, after confronting Mohammed Nadeem, who was caught urinating on a temple wall. When Dilip raised his voice against the act, Nadeem and his associates, including Saleem, Nafees, and Babu, responded with abuse. The situation escalated when they later barged into Dilip's home armed with iron rods and bamboo sticks, attacking him viciously and causing severe injuries. Despite attempts by locals to pacify the situation initially, the assailants returned with reinforcements and carried out the brutal attack. Dilip was left bleeding and severely injured until neighbours rushed to his aid, taking him to the hospital for treatment. The attackers fled the scene before the police arrived. The police took action by registering an FIR based on Dilip's complaint and arrested three individuals involved in the attack.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under two prime categories, namely 'Attack not resulting in death' and 'Attack on Hindu religious symbols' of the tracker because of the various distinct components that demonstrate the perpetrator's bias against the Hindu faith. Under 'Attack not resulting in death', the sub-category selected is- Attacked for opposing radicals/or trying to save victim from radicals- In several cases, Hindus are attacked for opposing religiously motivated crimes being committed against a fellow Hindu or simply for voicing an opinion opposing radical elements, who either have in the past or continue to persecute Hindus. In such cases, the initial attack against the victim, against which the Hindu was trying to defend the victim, would also need to be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime. Since the initial crime itself was religiously motivated and the subsequent crime of attempting to save the victim or speaking against the radical elements ends up inviting a violent attack, it would also be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. Further, under 'Attack on Hindu religious symbols' the sub-category selected is- Desecration of Hindu religious symbols- 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. In this case, despite understanding that Hindu temples are centres of worship and sanctity, the Muslim perpetrator urinated on the temple wall. A place of worship being sacred is not something we can assume the perpetrator was unaware of. Therefore, it is evident that the attack on the temple itself was rooted in religious hostility towards Hinduism and symbols of the faith. Furthermore, the Muslim perpetrators brutally attacked a Hindu devotee who spoke out against the desecration of the temple. He was subsequently attacked with iron rods and bamboo sticks. This violent response highlights the hostility and animosity that the perpetrator harboured for those with a professed Hindu religious identity.