Hindu temple vandalised, Ganesha idol installation opposed, devotees assaulted, temple caretaker subjected to stone pelting over construction in temple
Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India 
13 September, 2026
Case Summary
In Reti locality of the Kila area of Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, a Hindu temple was vandalised and the installation of a Lord Ganesha idol was opposed. The temple caretaker was subjected to stone-pelting and violence in connection with construction work at the place of worship. The incident took place on 14 September 2026, on Ganesh Chaturthi. Pradeep Gupta alias Rinku, a resident of Reti Mohalla who looked after the cleaning and maintenance of the neighbourhood temple, was present at the premises on 14th September 2026. People were performing puja there, while construction work was being carried out within the temple premises. According to police information, the temple was considerably below the level of the adjoining road, causing rainwater to repeatedly enter the premises. Residents had therefore jointly constructed a raised platform to address the waterlogging problem. A Lord Ganesha idol was scheduled to be installed at the newly prepared site that day. Some locals opposed the construction. They objected that the raised platform would make it difficult for their motorcycles to pass. The dispute over the construction had continued for several days, while the proposed installation of the Ganesha idol also became a point of opposition. The opposing side said no work would be allowed without their permission. At around 7:00 am on 14 September 2026, the people opposing the work arrived at the temple and damaged the recently constructed platform and the site prepared for the idol installation. They arrived carrying iron rods, lathis and sticks and began damaging the temple. When people present at the temple objected to the damage, the confrontation escalated into a physical altercation. Rammurti, who was worshipping at the temple, and Pradeep Gupta sustained injuries, while other people at the site also received injuries. The clash involved both sides and included stone-pelting. After the confrontation, the accused persons entered their house and stood at the main gate, where they used their phones to call some unidentified people. Pradeep Gupta also stated that stone-pelting took place during the fighting. The disturbance drew residents to the spot. Kila Police arrived after receiving information about the incident and spoke with both sides and nearby residents. Police brought the situation under control, repaired the damage, and restored the area, preparing it for the idol installation. Police personnel were also deployed around the temple and nearby area as a precaution. A complaint submitted by residents led to the registration of a First Information Report at Kila Police Station against five people. The five persons named in the First Information Report account were Ashok Kumari, Dipu Kasyap, Kushal Kasyap alias Jeetu, Dhaneshwar Kasyap alias Dheeraj and Resham. Kila Police said further action would depend on the complaint and the facts established during the investigation.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This incident has a religious dimension, as the dispute involved opposition to installing a Lord Ganesha idol at a Hindu temple and the subsequent vandalism of the site prepared for the installation. However, the available information does not establish that the violence was motivated primarily by hostility towards Hinduism or the Hindu faith. The immediate dispute appears to have centred on the construction of a raised platform, which some local residents opposed on the grounds that it would obstruct motorcycle traffic. The conflict reportedly continued for several days over this issue, and the proposed installation of the Ganesha idol later became another point of contention. This makes it difficult, on the information currently available, to separate the religious objection from the underlying neighbourhood dispute over the construction work. The fact that the temple and the idol-installation site were vandalised on Ganesh Chaturthi and that the installation of Lord Ganesha was opposed is significant. However, the available account does not provide clear evidence of anti-Hindu remarks, religious slurs, attacks on Hindu beliefs, or statements demonstrating that the perpetrators acted out of hostility towards Hinduism specifically. The confrontation also involved both sides and stone-pelting, further complicating the question of whether the violence was directed specifically at the victims because they were Hindu. For this reason, while the incident involved damage to a Hindu place of worship and opposition to a Hindu religious observance, the present evidence is insufficient to conclusively establish a religiously motivated hate crime. The case has therefore been kept under Undecided pending clearer evidence regarding the motive behind the vandalism, the opposition to the Ganesha idol installation, and the subsequent violence.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
From 5 to 10
Perpetrators Gender
both
Sources 
