Attack on Hindu sentiments: Miscreants defile sacred Hindu temple amidst Navratri celebrations in Madhya Pradesh
Ashta, Madhya Pradesh, India 
28 September, 2025
Case Summary
In the city of Ashta, located in the Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh, a Hindu temple named Khokar Mata temple was desecrated and defiled by unknown miscreants who dumped dead fish inside the temple premises. According to media reports, the temple is situated on the embankment of Kamal Talab. On the morning of 29th September 2025, dead fish were discovered dumped at the temple gate. A devotee noticed this and informed the temple priest of the Kherapati temple. The priest then alerted Kaloo Bhatt, the priest and head of the temple committee. Bhatt reached the site and informed the police and local administration. As news of the incident spread, members of Hindu organisations gathered at the temple in large numbers to express their anger. Recognising the seriousness, Tehsildar RL Pagare and Circle Inspector Girish Dubey arrived to assess the situation. Both officials prepared a report and seized approximately nine large dead fish from the temple premises. The fish were handed over to the municipality. Reports confirmed that illegal fishing occurred frequently at night. Recently, fishing rights for Ashta Talab were declared illegal and assigned to the fishermen’s cooperative. Even due to the Navratri festival, Khokar Mata temple priest Kaloo Bhatt had warned these fishermen two days earlier not to fish in the pond. Despite this, fishing continued day and night at the lake’s edge. Several illegal activities had taken place in the area previously, and the police and administration had been informed. Tehsildar Pagare stated that the unknown perpetrators were being sought. The police registered a case against unidentified persons and started investigations, reviewing CCTV footage from the area. Sub-Divisional Magistrate Nitin Tale and SDOP (Sub-Divisional Police Officer) Akash Amalkar also visited the site to evaluate the situation. Inspector Girish Dubey said police were making continuous efforts to apprehend the unknown culprits. He added that several illegal activities took place in the area, which had been reported to the authorities multiple times. The case was registered, and an investigation commenced, with CCTV footage under review to identify the accused.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The primary category selected in this case is- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within this, the subcategory 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 other subcategory selected is- Desecration of Hindu 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. The other subcategory selected is- Defiling religious customs. Sanatan Dharma is not a religion of one book, which is to say that while it has religious scriptures that form the central tenets of the faith, there are several traditions followed through thousands of years, mostly passed from generation to generation orally. There are several such customs and traditions that are followed by various Hindus and Hindu sects. Defiling of these traditions and customs is a breach of an individual or group’s religious practices. Such practices can range from dietary restrictions like not eating non-vegetarian food for a certain period of the year, not eating non-vegetarian food at all, not eating beef since the cow is considered holy in Hinduism, the sanctity of religious customs followed in the house (like many ISCKON devotees), etc. Any malicious action leading to the breach of such traditions or defilement of these traditions owing to animosity towards the faith or for the sake of activism stems not only from the lack of faith in the religion itself but also from disregard for the faith of the devotees who follow the customs/traditions and implicit bias against the faith, the tradition itself. Since these specific traditions are central to the faith of the devotees of that specific sect of Hindus, any non-compliance with these traditional rules would be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. This incident is a hate crime against Hindus for several reasons. Firstly, the attack and desecration targeted a Hindu temple, which holds profound religious and cultural significance for Hindus. Temples are sacred spaces of worship, spiritual practice, and community gathering. Any attack on such revered and holy places directly wounds Hindu sentiments and faith, making the act a clear religiously motivated crime. Secondly, the temple itself symbolises the core of Hindu religious identity. The deliberate defilement of the temple by dumping dead fish—an item considered impure within Hindu worship traditions—in the temple premises, and in significant numbers, underscores the intentional nature of the act. This was not an accident or a random occurrence but a calculated effort to desecrate and insult the sacred place of worship. Thirdly, the timing is crucial. This act of desecration occurred during the Navratri festival, one of the most sacred Hindu celebrations honouring the nine forms of Goddess Durga, who is worshipped for vanquishing the demon Mahishasura. Navratri is observed through fasting, vegetarianism, prayer, and deep spiritual reverence. Defiling the temple during such a profoundly sacred period is an attack not only on the physical temple but also on the sanctity of the Navratri celebrations themselves. Such a provocation inflicts deep hurt on Hindu religious sentiments and is clearly driven by religious animosity towards the Hindu faith, making it a religiously motivated crime. Given these factors, this case meets the multiple criteria of a religiously motivated hate crime. Therefore, it is being included in the hate crime database of the Hinduphobia Tracker.
Case Status
Complaint registered
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
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