Hindu temple in Rajganj violated as thieves steal gold eyes and sacred ornaments from Hindu goddess idol
Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, India 
30 April, 2026
Case Summary
A historic Hindu temple in Rajganj market, West Bengal, was violated when gold ornaments were stolen from the idol of Maa Kali, causing disturbance among devotees and local residents. The temple, located a short distance from the police station, is one of the oldest and most revered Hindu religious sites in the region, drawing large numbers of devotees daily. The theft came to light on the morning of 2 May when the temple priest arrived and discovered that the gold eyes and tikli [a gold ornamental piece placed on the forehead of a deity idol as an act of devotional adornment] had been removed from the idol. The priest also found that the room in which he resided had been ransacked and his belongings scattered. Preliminary investigation indicated that the theft took place late on the night of 1 May, with the perpetrators taking advantage of heavy rainfall in the area to avoid detection. A written complaint was filed at Rajganj police station following the discovery. Police initiated an investigation into the matter. No arrests were confirmed at the time of publication.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This incident involving the looting of a Hindu temple could potentially be categorised as a religiously motivated hate crime. Given the central significance of Temples in Hindu Dharma, any attack, vandalism, or loot 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 sort of attack against a Temple and/or its premises would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. In many cases, non-Hindus, driven by religious animosity, have been found to loot or attack Hindu temples. However, in this particular case, no explicit evidence currently indicates a religious motive behind the crime. Therefore, it has been placed under the “Undecided” database. If any further information arises suggesting that the incident was motivated by religious hostility, it will be reclassified and added to the Hate Crime Database of the Hinduphobia Tracker.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
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