Hindu temple desecrated in Ratlam; Hanuman idol vandalised and removed, temple flag found displaced
Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, India 
29 August, 2026
Case Summary
In Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, a Hindu religious site, the ancient Ganga Jhariya Mahadev Temple was subjected to religious desecration when the approximately one-and-a-half-foot-high Hanuman (Bajrang Bali) idol installed there was broken and removed from its place. Broken remains of the idol were scattered around the temple and along the nearby route, while the complete idol was not found. Sindoor was found scattered on the road, and the temple’s religious flag was found lying some distance away. On 30th August 2026, in the afternoon, devotees who arrived at the temple for darshan found the idol missing from its place and saw its broken remains around the temple. On the next day evening, Hindu organisations received information that the idol had been broken. The temple premises contained an old bawdi (stepwell), and residents and workers of Hindu organisations raised the possibility that the idol had been thrown into it. The idol was not recovered from the bawdi at that stage. The temple is situated in a relatively isolated area away from the main city, where public movement was limited, and a pile of rubbish was present near the temple. On 31st August 2026, following the discovery, a large number of members of the Bajrang Dal and various Hindu organisations, along with residents and members of the Hindu community, gathered at the temple and expressed anger. The protesters first went to Harmala Road, where they sat on the road, blocked traffic and raised slogans against the police administration, demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible. The blockade brought traffic to a standstill and resulted in long queues of vehicles on both sides of the road. The protesters then went to Manak Chowk Police Station and demanded that the accused be arrested promptly. After this, the protesters moved to the Ganesh Devari intersection, described as one of the busiest crossings in the city, where they sat on the road. The reports gave differing durations for the blockade, with one account stating approximately two hours and another stating approximately four hours. The protesters remained dissatisfied with the action taken at that point and continued their protest. In view of the situation, City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Satyendra Ghanghoria, Manak Chowk Police Station in-charge Vikram Singh Chauhan, Tehsildar Ashish Upadhyay and Ramchandra Pandey, accompanied by police personnel, reached the spot. The officials spoke with the protesters and sought to pacify them. The administration assured the Hindu organisations that action would be taken on their demands and that those responsible for disturbing religious harmony would not be spared. A Naib Tehsildar was also sent to conduct a spot inspection. The police began investigating the incident and registered a case against unknown persons. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from cameras around the temple and on the main roads in the area was examined to identify the persons responsible. Police also continued efforts to locate the missing idol by searching the temple surroundings, including the bawdi, while the broken remains and other evidence found around the temple were taken into consideration during the investigation. Police personnel were kept deployed in the area as a precautionary measure. The Hindu organisations put forward several specific demands: a thorough search of the bawdi and surrounding area to locate the missing idol; installation of a new Hanuman idol with full religious respect; immediate construction of a boundary wall around the temple to prevent the entry and activities of anti-social and criminal elements; identification of the persons responsible and strict legal action against them; and installation of CCTV cameras around the temple for security. After the assurances from the officials, the protesters ended the road blockade. Bajrang Dal office-bearer Munnu Kushwaha stated that a new Hanuman idol would be installed at the temple on 1st September 2026. The administration also stated that the new idol would be installed in the presence of the Collector and Superintendent of Police.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The primary category selected in this case is: Attack on Hindu religious representation. Within this, the subcategory selected is: Desecration of Hindu religious symbol. Icons and symbols, or religious representations 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 great 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 case was included in the Hinduphobia Tracker because a Hindu temple was targeted, and the consecrated idol of Hanuman installed within it was desecrated and removed. Sindoor was found scattered on the road, while the temple's religious flag was found lying some distance away. The destruction and removal of the idol therefore went beyond ordinary vandalism and directly affected sacred Hindu symbols and the religious space in which they were worshipped. The Hanuman idol was the central sacred representation at the temple. Lord Hanuman, also known as Bajrang Bali, holds profound significance for Hindus and is revered for his unwavering devotion to Lord Rama, as well as for strength, courage, selfless service, and protection from adversity. Breaking the idol and removing it from its consecrated place therefore amounted to a direct desecration of a sacred representation of Hanuman and violated the sanctity attached to it by devotees. The desecration was further compounded by the scattered sindoor found on the road. Sindoor has an important place in Hindu religious practice and is also closely associated with the worship of several Hindu deities, including Hanuman. Its presence among the remains of the desecrated shrine added to the disturbance of the sacred symbols associated with the deity and the temple. The temple's dhwaja, or religious flag, was also found lying away from the shrine. A dhwaja is more than an ordinary flag in Hindu religious tradition. It is a visible marker of a sacred space, signifying the temple's religious identity and sanctity. Its displacement, particularly alongside the destruction of the Hanuman idol, further disturbed the religious character of the shrine and added to the desecration of the temple premises. Given that the fundamental motivation behind this incident is contempt for the Hindu religion, this instance has been added to the tracker under the following category. It is important to mention here that, though the last update was that the miscreants were unknown, the action stemmed from hatred against Hinduism and resulted in the desecration of the sacred temple and would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
