Saffron flag hoisted on Hanuman Jayanti, removed, desecrated and trampled by Muslim woman in Bharuch, Gujarat
Bharuch, Gujarat, India 
4 April, 2026
Case Summary
In the Jitali area of Ankleshwar, Bharuch district, Gujarat, a saffron flag hoisted by Hindu residents was removed and trampled upon by a Muslim woman. The flags had been hoisted by Hindu residents on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti. According to the information available, a religious programme had been organised in the society on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, during which saffron flags had been hoisted at various places, including on electricity poles, as part of the festival observance. During this time, a Muslim woman residing in the society climbed an electric pole, took down one of the saffron flags, and threw it onto the ground. A passerby confronted the woman over the incident at the spot. CCTV footage of the incident had also surfaced and subsequently gone viral on social media. Following the video's circulation, the incident sparked outrage among residents. Several residents stated that the flag had been desecrated and that their religious sentiments had been hurt. In this matter, Jagatsinh Parmar, a resident of the society, along with other residents, filed a complaint in the form of a primary application at the Ankleshwar Rural Police Station. Taking note of the seriousness of the matter, the police initiated an investigation. Based on the CCTV footage and the application submitted by the residents, questioning of the concerned woman also commenced.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case is being added to the tracker under the primary category- Attack on Hindu religious representations. The sub-category selected here is: Desecration of a 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 a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. This incident clearly reflected a targeted act against a visible symbol of Hindu faith and therefore warranted its inclusion in the tracker. The saffron flags had been hoisted solely on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, which was a peaceful and customary expression of Hindu religious identity. The Hindu residents were merely observing their sacred festival in the usual manner, without any act of provocation. Against this backdrop, the removal of the saffron flag from the electric pole and its being thrown to the ground directly interfered with a symbol of religious significance to the Hindu community. Such an act was not a neutral objection to its placement but a deliberate affront to a religious representation associated with Hanuman Jayanti. In the Hindu milieu, any desecration of symbols, icons, murtis, or religious manifestations strikes at the faith itself, because these symbols embody the spiritual ideals they represent and because of their spiritual, cultural, and historical importance in Hinduism, saffron flags are powerful emblems of Hindu identity. It is seen as an insult to the Hindu faith to desecrate such flags or any other Hindu religious symbol, and anyone who engages in such criminal activity would only do so out of hatred for Hinduism. Given that the fundamental motivation behind these actions is contempt for the Hindu religion, this instance has been added to the tracker under the following category. Disclaimer: The Hinduphobia Tracker records incident dates based on when the victim's ordeal began, rather than when the media reported it. In this case, the report does not mention when the act was committed; therefore, the date when the report was published has been recorded as the indicative incident date for documentation purposes.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
female
Sources 
