Shiv Mandir vandalised in Canberra; Shivling and Mandap destroyed
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia 
25 October, 2024
Case Summary
On October 26, four masked extremists carried out an attack on the Shri Vishnu Shiva Mandir, where they used a crowbar to break open the front door. The attackers desecrated the inner sanctum, damaging cupboards used for deity garments and breaking the Vasant Mandap. They also destroyed a sacred Shivling. The extremists further destroyed the reception area, broke open two concrete-embedded donation boxes with a sledgehammer, and stole cash stored inside. At the time, the temple’s caretaker and priest were away for lunch. Temple President Thamo Sritharan voiced his distress, calling for enhanced government protection for religious sites. Sanjay Bhosale from the Canberra India Council said "This doesn't look just like theft, but some wanton destruction with some hate as the motive." The attackers’ van bore a Victorian license plate, which police suspected might have been stolen. A case was registered.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category of- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Under this, the first prime category selected is- Attack on Temples. 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. The second sub-category under which the case has been placed is- Desecration of Hindu religious symbol. 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. Despite understanding that temples are centres of worship and sanctity for Hindus, some unknown miscreants vandalised a Shivling kept inside the Hindu temple. The attackers also desecrated the inner sanctum, destroyed the reception area, broke open two concrete-embedded donation boxes with a sledgehammer, and stole cash stored inside. Since disrespect for the Hindu religion is the primary purpose behind this incident, this case has been added to the tracker under the following category It is important to mention here that though the last update was that the miscreants were unknown, regardless, the action stemmed out of hatred against Hinduism and resulted in the desecration of the sacred temple and would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime.
Case Status
Complaint registered
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
