Hindu religious symbols defilled; Muslim teacher cuts of religious thread tied around a tree during Vat Savitri Puja in Siwan, Bihar
Siwan, Bihar, India 
14 July, 2026
Case Summary
In Rajanpura village under Hasanpura block of Siwan district, Bihar, Hindu religious sentiments were hurt after a Muslim teacher, Khalida Zia, was seen cutting the sacred threads tied by Hindu women around a banyan (Vat) tree during Vat Savitri Puja. Vat Savitri Puja is a traditional Hindu festival where married women fast and tie sacred threads around a banyan tree, praying for the long life, health, and prosperity of their husbands. The incident occurred on the premises of Upgraded Secondary School, where Hindu women used the banyan tree to perform a religious ritual associated with the festival. A video of the incident subsequently went viral on social media, where the Muslim teacher was seen using scissors to cut the sacred thread tied around the banyan tree in the school compound. Local Hindu people stated that she had initially attempted to cut the threads with a blade, but when she was unable to do so, she returned the following day carrying scissors and cut the sacred threads. According to local Hindu people, they objected to the Muslim teacher's actions and asked her not to cut the sacred threads, but she continued despite their objections. Following the circulation of the video, the incident triggered anger among Hindu people in the area, while various Hindu organisations demanded action against the accused teacher and called for a fair investigation into the matter. School Principal Madhusudan Ram claimed that the Muslim teacher was 'mentally unstable' and that he had received several complaints regarding her conduct. He further said that written complaints regarding her conduct had been submitted on three occasions to the Block Education Officer, the District Education Officer, and other senior district authorities, but no action had been taken. According to the principal, the teacher, appointed under TER-2 as a mathematics teacher, was irregular in attending school and had, on several occasions, marked her attendance online before leaving the school premises.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The primary category for this case is: Attack on Hindu religious representation. The subcategory for this case 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. The next subcategory 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. Several such customs and traditions 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 and 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 case has been added to the Hinduphobia Tracker because the Muslim teacher deliberately defiled a custom sacred to Hindus. The sacred threads formed an integral part of an ongoing Hindu religious observance and had been tied by Hindu women as part of the rituals associated with the festival. The act of cutting off these sacred threads directly interfered with a visible manifestation of Hindu religious practice. Vat Savitri Puja is an important Hindu festival observed primarily by married Hindu women, who pray for the long life, well-being and prosperity of their husbands. One of the central rituals of the festival is the worship of the banyan (Vat) tree, which occupies a sacred place in Hindu tradition and is associated with longevity, steadfastness and the legend of Savitri and Satyavan. As part of this worship, Hindu women ceremonially tie sacred threads around the banyan tree while offering prayers and performing the prescribed rituals. These threads are not ordinary pieces of string; they are sacred religious representations that embody the completion of a religious observance and the devotee's faith. Consequently, cutting or removing these sacred threads is not merely an act involving a physical object but an act that interferes with and nullifies a visible manifestation of a Hindu religious practice. For this reason, the cutting of the sacred threads constitutes the desecration of a Hindu religious symbol while simultaneously defiling a Hindu religious custom that has been observed for generations. The conduct documented in this case demonstrates a direct interference with Hindu religious practices rather than an incidental disturbance. The sacred threads had been tied specifically for the performance of Vat Savitri Puja, and their removal disrupted a ritual that Hindu women had undertaken as part of their religious observance. The Muslim teacher deliberately cut the sacred strings for the purpose of insulting Hinduism. This was not a random or misguided act, but a calculated and ideologically rooted expression of religious hatred. Such acts are carried out due to indoctrination by Islamic theology, which advocates that it is a sin or shirk to perform rituals or worship idols (the gravest sin). The Qur'an strictly condemns it, and Islamic teachings emphasise the complete rejection of any practice associated with idol worship. Muslims are taught from a young age that idolatry is an unforgivable sin. While this belief is central to Islamic faith, it has also led, historically and in contemporary times, to intolerance and hostility towards idol-worshipping religions, especially Hinduism. When individuals publicly mock Hindu deities, it reflects more than personal disrespect—it is often the manifestation of deep-seated theological contempt against Hindu practices, stemming from the Islamic doctrinal view that idol worship is impure and offensive. This explains the Muslim teacher's resentment towards the Hindu faith and customs. The sacred threads tied around the banyan tree were inseparable from the observance of Vat Savitri Puja and represented an ongoing act of Hindu worship by the women who had performed the ritual. Their deliberate removal interfered with that religious observance and hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. The incident involved the desecration of a Hindu religious symbol, the defilement of a Hindu religious custom, and the disruption of a recognised Hindu religious practice. Since such actions target the identity, beliefs, and dignity of Hindus and are carried out due to the intrinsic animosity the perpetrator harbours for the Hindus religion, this incident warrants inclusion in the tracker. 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 specifies the exact date on which the Muslim teacher cut the sacred threads tied by Hindu women around the banyan (Vat) tree during Vat Savitri Puja. Therefore, for documentation purposes, the date has been recorded as 15 July 2026, the date on which the incident was reported in the media and came into the public domain through the viral video.
Case Status
Complaint registered
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
female
Sources 
