Hindu religious event disrupted; Ambedkarite woman throws sacred Hanuman idol into drain and attacks devotees
Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, India 
14 July, 2026
Case Summary
In Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh. Hindu religious sentiments were outraged after an Ambedkarite woman disrupted a Hanuman Chalisa recitation at a Hindu temple and desecrated the Hanuman idol. According to reports, a woman identified by Hindu devotees as a Jai Bhim supporter disrupted a Hanuman Chalisa recitation that was underway at a Hindu temple in the area. During the puja, she threw a murti of Lord Hanuman into a nearby drain, kicked the loudspeaker being used for the religious programme, and attacked devotees with a water pipe. She also abused Lord Hanuman (Bajrangbali), causing outrage among those present. Following the incident, local residents demanded that the police register an FIR against the woman and take strict legal action over the disruption of the religious gathering and the desecration of the Hindu deity.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category of Attack on Hindu Religious Representations, with the sub-category of Desecration of Hindu Religious Symbol. Icons, symbols and other religious representations of spiritual ideals 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 the greatest significance to Hindus, to whom daily rituals, prayers and offerings are made. Besides the murtis, there are several other symbols that hold deep significance in the Hindu faith, such as the Om and the Swastika. Since these Hindu religious symbols hold paramount importance in Hinduism, any desecration of symbols, icons, murtis, religious representations or manifestations is driven by animosity towards the faith itself, which manifests 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. The second sub-category within it 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, living entity. Hindus believe that not only the Deity but the temple premises themselves are sacred, as the entire temple space is regarded as 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 surrounding 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 attack against a temple and/or its premises is therefore considered a religiously motivated hate crime. The other sub-category selected here 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. The other primary category selected here is - Hate speech against Hindus. Within it, the sub-category selected here is - Anti-Hindu slurs, mocking faith. Anti-Hindu slurs and the deliberate mocking of the Hindu faith owing to religious animosity involve the usage of derogatory terms, stereotypes, or offensive references to religious practices, symbols, or figures. One of the common anti-Hindu slurs used against Hindus is “cow-worshipper” and “cow piss drinker”. The intention of using this term is to demean and mock Hindus as a group and their religious beliefs since Hindus consider the cow holy. Additionally, some symbols and the slurs attached to them have a historical context that exacerbates the insult, hate, stereotyping, dehumanisation and oppression against Hindus. Cow worship has been used for centuries to denigrate Hindus, insult their faith and oppress Hindus specifically as a religious group. There has been overwhelming documentation about how cow slaughter has been used to persecute Hindus with cow meat being thrown in temples and places of worship. There has also been overwhelming documentation where cow meat (beef) has been force-fed to Hindus to either forcefully convert them to Islam or denigrate their faith. Apart from cow worship, the Swastika – which holds deep religious significance for the Hindus – has also been misinterpreted and distorted to use as a slur against Hindus. Similarly, the worship of the Shivling has been used by supremacist ideologies and religions to denigrate Hindus owing to religious animosity. Such slurs and denigration stem out of inherent animosity and hate towards Hindus and their faith, therefore, it is categorised as hate speech targeted at Hindus specifically owing to their religious identity. The other primary category selected here is - Attack not resulting in death. Within it, the sub-category selected here is - Attack against Hindu devotees. Hindu devotees are a few of the easiest targets of religiously motivated hate crimes because during the festival/procession/puja etc, for non-Hindus it is easy to profile their victims on the basis of religion. Hindu devotees come under attack on several occasions by individual non-Hindus or mobs of non-Hindus owing to their animosity against Hinduism, its symbols and tradition/practices. There are several instances of Hindu devotees being attacked while they worship in temples or temporary religious structures, during religious processions, doing bhajan/kirtan/puja in their own homes, in the residential society etc. These attacks are perpetrated by non-Hindus primarily because of their animosity towards Hindus and their faith. In some cases, the trigger for the violence may be non-religious, however, there are two elements that make these hate crimes. First, the Hindus who come under attack are attacked violently while indulging in religious activity. Whether they are in a place of worship or not is immaterial to the crime. When individuals are attacked while indulging in religious practices, the attack in itself is a hindrance to their freedom to practice religion and therefore constitutes a hate crime. Secondly, religious supremacist doctrines and ideologies deem religious practices of Hindus to be offensive ab initio since they are considered “sinful” by these ideologies, worthy to be annihilated by force or coercion. Driven by these religious supremacist ideologies and doctrines, the attacks against Hindu devotees stem from intrinsic animosity towards Hinduism. In some cases, the trigger for the violence may be non-religious, however, it develops into a religiously motivated crime during the course of the violence. Since these attacks stem from animosity towards Hindus and Hinduism, they are considered religiously motivated hate crimes under this category. This case has been added to the Hinduphobia Tracker because the actions were directed specifically at a Hindu religious gathering and at symbols that hold profound spiritual significance in the Hindu faith. The incident occurred while devotees were engaged in the recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa, a revered devotional hymn dedicated to Lord Hanuman and an integral part of Hindu worship. The disruption took place during an ongoing act of religious observance, demonstrating that the religious character of the gathering was central to the incident rather than incidental to it. Interfering with devotees while they were engaged in prayer amounts to an obstruction of their ability to practise their faith peacefully and without intimidation. The desecration of the murti of Lord Hanuman further reinforces the religious dimension of the act. In Hinduism, murtis are not regarded merely as decorative objects but as sacred representations of deities that are accorded reverence, devotion, and worship. Throwing a murti into a drain constitutes an act of desecration directed at an object of profound religious veneration. Such conduct goes beyond ordinary misconduct or a neighbourhood dispute, as it targets a sacred symbol that is intrinsically tied to the beliefs, rituals, and identity of the Hindu community. Acts involving the deliberate disrespect or defilement of revered religious icons are widely understood as attacks on the faith itself because they seek to degrade what devotees consider holy. Furthermore, the abuse directed at Lord Hanuman also constitutes an attack on a revered Hindu deity and, by extension, on the religious sentiments of Hindu devotees. Lord Hanuman occupies a central place in Hindu tradition as a symbol of devotion, courage, and righteousness, and is worshipped by millions of Hindus across India and the world. Vilifying or insulting such a deity is not merely offensive speech but an act capable of fostering hostility towards the faith and its adherents. When derogatory remarks are directed at sacred figures during an ongoing religious observance, the impact extends beyond the immediate participants and affects the wider Hindu community that holds those beliefs sacred, creating an atmosphere of fear, humiliation, and disrespect surrounding the free exercise of their religion. Additionally, the attack on the Hindu devotees further strengthens the basis for recording this case in the Hinduphobia Tracker. The devotees were engaged in a peaceful religious observance when they were attacked, demonstrating that they were targeted in the course of practising their faith. Violence or intimidation directed at individuals while they are participating in a religious ceremony not only endangers their physical safety but also interferes with their fundamental right to freely practise and manifest their religion. When devotees are subjected to physical aggression during an act of worship, the attack extends beyond the individuals concerned and has a chilling effect on the broader Hindu community by creating fear around the peaceful exercise of their religious beliefs. It is important to mention here that the accused was an Ambedkarite and a supporter of Jai Bhim. While the Ambedkarites presents itself as a champion of Dalit rights, their actions and affiliations often contradict this claim. Dalits are very much Hindus, yet the Ambedkarite groups frequently target Hindu symbols, festivals, and practices, including those held sacred by Dalits themselves. This pattern suggests that the organisation’s agenda is less about genuine Dalit upliftment and more aligned with broader anti-Hindu narratives that seek to divide and weaken Hindu society from within. This becomes particularly apparent when the Ambedkarites align with leftist and Islamist platforms, where identity politics is weaponised against Hindus. In such spaces, the micro identities of caste, region, and language are secondary; what matters most is religious identity. It is the Hindu identity, regardless of caste, that often becomes the target of animosity. As seen in cases where Dalit families were attacked for displaying Hindu symbols or worshipping deities, the hostility stems not from caste differences, but from a disdain for Hindu religiosity. For example, on May 19, 2020, reports emerged in which a Dalit family in Bihar’s Kishanganj district stated that the local Bhim Army unit attacked them for their Hindu beliefs, desecrating a temple as they objected to their reverence for Hindu deities and saffron flags. Similarly, on June 29, 2021, in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, a Hindu named Saurabh Sharma was attacked by Bhim Army members over political differences. The assailants used swords and rods, causing severe injuries, and threatened to eliminate the Brahmin community from the area. Moreover, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad has repeatedly made statements and taken positions that reflect his anti-Hindu stance. For instance, he has publicly endorsed conversion as a political weapon, invoking B.R. Ambedkar’s decision to leave Hinduism, and has actively supported movements that call for a rejection of Hindu festivals and practices. In fact, Chandrashekhar Azad's political trajectory has strongly focused on building a Dalit-Muslim alliance, a strategy that became particularly visible during his active participation in the anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) protests that culminated in the Delhi anti-Hindu Riots 2020. His brand of politics, under the banner of Dalit-Muslim unity, has contributed to narratives that vilify Hindu traditions and exacerbate targeted attacks against Hindus. Taken together, the disruption of a Hindu religious ceremony, the desecration of a sacred murti, and the verbal abuse directed at a Hindu deity demonstrate that the religious identity of the gathering and its objects of worship were central to the incident. The combination of interrupting a religious ritual, targeting a sacred representation of a Hindu deity, and insulting that deity reflects conduct aimed at degrading and violating the sanctity of Hindu religious practices and symbols. The actions were not incidental to the setting but were directed at a distinctly Hindu act of worship and at objects and beliefs that are fundamental to the Hindu faith. For these reasons, the case has been included in the Hinduphobia Tracker under acts targeting Hindu religious practices and representations. Disclaimer: The Hinduphobia Tracker records incidents based on when an event occurred or when the victim's ordeal began. It is important to clarify that none of the media sources covering this case has specified the exact date when the incident occurred. Therefore, for documentation purposes, we have recorded the date based on when the incident was reported in the media, 15 July 2026.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
female
Sources 
