Hindu religious sentiments hurt as youth wraps sacred Janeu around genitals in obscene social media reel
Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, India 
24 July, 2026
Case Summary
In Chaheliya village under the Maholi police station area, Sitapur district, Uttar Pradesh, Hindu sentiments were outraged after a 26-year-old man named Anshul Arkvanshi created and circulated an objectionable eight-second social media reel in which he wrapped a Yagyopaveet (Janeu/sacred thread) around his genital area while dancing to a film song. The incident came to light after members of the Rashtriya Hindu Sher Sena objected to the video and lodged a police complaint. In the eight-second reel, Anshul was seen semi-nude, wearing a garland around his neck, holding a bidi, and dancing to a film song while the sacred thread was wrapped around his genitals. The reel featured the lyrics, "No one's strength is greater than us, no one's fear is ever in us." Following a written complaint submitted by Ankul Arkvanshi and objections raised by the National Hindu Sher Sena, Maholi Police arrested Anshul Arkvanshi and one of his associates. A case was registered under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and further legal proceedings were initiated.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been to primary category of - Attack on Hindu religious representations. The subcategory under this 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. The other subcategory under this 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. In this case, the object chosen for the obscene act was the Yagyopaveet (Janeu), a sacred Hindu religious symbol associated with the Upanayana Sanskar and regarded as an outward expression of religious duty and spiritual commitment. The significance of this case lies not merely in the obscenity of the act but in the deliberate selection of a symbol that holds profound religious importance for Hindus. Had an ordinary object been used, the incident would have amounted to public obscenity alone. By specifically choosing the Yagyopaveet, the accused directed the act at a religious representation that embodies the faith and identity of Hindu devotees. The deliberate targeting of a sacred Hindu symbol therefore demonstrates that religion was central to the commission of the offence rather than incidental to it. The manner in which the Yagyopaveet was used further aggravated the offence. Wrapping the sacred thread around the genital area and displaying it in an obscene social media reel transformed a revered religious symbol into an instrument of vulgarity and public ridicule. The obscenity did not exist independently of the religious symbol; rather, the religious symbol itself became the medium through which the obscenity was conveyed. This amounted to more than an act of indecent behaviour, as it intentionally degraded a symbol through which Hindus express and identify with their faith. By weaponising a sacred Hindu religious representation for obscene content intended for public dissemination, the act constituted a direct attack on the religious dignity of the Hindu community and therefore satisfies the parameters of a religiously motivated hate crime. The Yagyopaveet derives its sanctity not only from the sacred thread itself but also from the religious customs and traditions governing its investiture and respectful use. By employing it in an obscene public performance, the accused did not merely desecrate a sacred object but also trivialised the customs that confer upon it its religious significance. The act reduced a symbol intrinsically linked to an important Hindu rite of passage into an object of mockery and entertainment, displaying a conscious disregard for the religious practices associated with it. Consequently, the offence was directed against a sacred Hindu symbol but also against the customs through which that symbol derives its meaning. Acts targeting sacred religious symbols have consequences beyond causing individual offence. Religious symbols serve as visible representations of a community's beliefs, traditions, and collective identity. Deliberately desecrating such symbols communicates contempt not only for the object itself but also for the faith and the community that venerates it. Such actions foster hostility towards the targeted religious group, erode mutual respect between communities, and contribute to an environment in which expressions of hatred or ridicule directed at Hindu beliefs become normalised. Viewed cumulatively, the deliberate desecration of the Yagyopaveet and the defilement of the religious traditions connected with it demonstrate that the offence targeted Hindu religious identity and practice rather than merely offending public morality, thereby warranting its inclusion in the Hinduphobia Tracker database as a religiously motivated hate crime. Disclaimer: Hinduphobia Tracker records the incident date based on when the hate crime first occurred. In this case, the exact date on which the objectionable reel was created or first circulated has not been specified in available reports. Therefore, 25 July 2026, the earliest date on which the incident was publicly reported, has been used as the incident date for documentation purposes.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
