Shiv Shakti Temple vandalised, idols of deities desecrated, jewellery worth Rs 10 lakh stolen
Bhagalpur, Bihar, India 
19 October, 2024
Case Summary
On October 20, 2024, in Bhagalpur, unrest followed the desecration of idols at the Shiv Shakti Temple, near a pond in the Sanhaula area. The incident, which involved the destruction of idols of deities Bhagwan Ram, Lakshman, Mata Sita, Radha Krishna, and Maa Durga, caused a large-scale protest. Hundreds of residents, including members of Hindu groups, gathered at the local police station, demanding arrests and blocking the Sanhaula-Jharkhand road for several hours. Many protestors armed with sticks demonstrated their frustration, accusing authorities of negligence and demanding accountability. The temple priest, who discovered the damage around 7 AM, immediately raised an alarm, calling villagers who gathered to inspect the extent of the damage. Alongside vandalism, reports emerged that jewellery worth Rs 10 lakh had been stolen. While police detained a suspect, who they claimed was mentally ill, locals asserted that the vandalism appeared too extensive for one person alone. During interactions between the police, temple committee members, and locals, a clash reportedly broke out with some protestors pelting stones, requiring heavy police intervention to manage the situation. Union Minister Giriraj Singh weighed in, suggesting political motivations behind the incident. Singh alleged that members of the RJD and Congress were behind the vandalism, suggesting they aimed to stir communal discord. The local administration, however, issued a statement urging the public to avoid rumours and maintain peace, dismissing reports of gunfire at the scene.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added as a religiously motivated crime under the prime category- Attack on Hindu religious symbol, of the tracker. Under this, two sub-categories have been selected. The first 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 this 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. In this case, despite understanding that Hindu temples are centres of worship and sanctity, the perpetrators vandalised idols of deities Bhagwan Ram, Lakshman, Mata Sita, Radha Krishna, and Maa Durga, all revered in Hinduism. This is a deeply disrespectful act that reflects a lack of regard for Hindu religious beliefs and practices. Such behaviour can be perceived as stemming from animosity towards the religion and its followers, indicating an intentional insult and disregard for the sacredness of the temple. Here, the police downplayed the communal nature of the incident by claiming that the accused was 'mentally ill/unstable'. This claim represents a common trope used to deflect attention from the religious motivations behind hate crimes against Hindu places of worship, portraying the act as stemming from mental illness rather than religious animosity. Authorities often downplay such communal crimes and often attribute the offence to the accused's mental health. This narrative has appeared repeatedly in cases targeting Hindus and their religious symbols, obscuring the true intent of religious hatred. Many times, police minimise incidents of low-level communal crime to protect their jurisdiction from scrutiny. They frequently cite the accused's mental instability as the cause, aiming to prevent any flare-up in the area following the initial offence. However, this explanation rang hollow in this instance. If the accused was truly mentally unstable, why did he target only a Hindu temple for desecration and not a mosque or other non-Hindu places of worship? This selective targeting and desecration of a Hindu temple exposed deep-seated hatred for Hinduism and its sacred spaces, confirming the religiously motivated nature of the offence Further, 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
N/A
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
