Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations targeted as stones and bricks hurled at Lord Ganesha idol inside a pandal in Bareilly

Case ID : 30aa5bf | Location : Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India | Date of Incident : Wed, 16 September, 2026

Case ID : 30aa5bf

Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India

16 September, 2026

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations targeted as stones and bricks hurled at Lord Ganesha idol inside a pandal in Bareilly

Attack on Hindu religious representations

Desecration of Hindu religious symbol

Case Summary

In the Prem Nagar area of Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, a consecrated idol of Lord Ganesha installed at a pandal was targeted with bricks and stones by a miscreant. The incident occurred amidst the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations. According to media reports, at approximately 10:00 AM on 16 September 2026, the accused threw bricks and stones towards the Ganesh idol installed at Bhim Dwar in Jatpura. During the attack, a small child present at the site sustained injuries. Following the incident, the child underwent a medical examination. Upon receiving information about the incident, police arrived at the spot and took the accused man into custody before bringing him to the Prem Nagar police station. The incident caused distress among local Hindu devotees, prompting several residents, including women, to gather at the site. Local residents identified the miscreant as Sohan Pal and accused him of throwing the bricks and stones at the Ganesh idol. Anil Patil, founder of the local Ganesh Mahotsav Committee, also reached the spot to pacify the aggrieved residents. He assured them that the police would take appropriate action against the accused, following which the crowd became peaceful and the people returned to their homes.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

The primary category selected in this case is: Attack on Hindu religious representations. The subcategory selected 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. This case is a clear example of a religiously driven hate crime because a consecrated Ganesha idol was deliberately targeted with bricks and stones during the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations. The attack was directed at a sacred Hindu representation being worshipped by devotees, making its religious nature evident. In Hinduism, murtis are sacred objects of worship and are not regarded merely as ordinary statues or decorative objects. Through consecration and ritual installation, a murti becomes a focal point of religious worship and devotion. Lord Ganesha is one of the most widely revered Hindu deities and is associated with wisdom, auspicious beginnings and the removal of obstacles. Ganesh Chaturthi is an annual Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Ganesha and involves the installation and worship of his murti in homes and public pandals, accompanied by prayers, rituals and community celebrations. The idol targeted in this incident was therefore an important object of Hindu worship, installed specifically as part of a religious observance. Throwing bricks and stones at such an idol amounted to deliberate desecration of a sacred Hindu symbol. The act showed contempt for the religious significance attached to the murti and violated the sanctity of an object being worshipped by Hindu devotees. Since the target was a representation of a Hindu deity, the attack also directly affected the religious community that revered it, causing distress and hurting their religious sentiments. Deliberately subjecting a sacred Hindu representation to such an act of desecration therefore demonstrated clear disdain towards Hindu religious beliefs and their symbols. The circumstances surrounding the attack further heightened its religious significance. The idol had been installed inside a Ganesh pandal specifically for the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, and the incident took place during the festival. The act therefore occurred within a designated space of Hindu worship and directly interfered with an ongoing religious celebration. Targeting the consecrated idol in this setting showcased the perpetrators’ intent to desecrate the sanctity of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival and cause hurt and distress to Hindu devotees during their religious celebrations. The timing and setting of the attack therefore further demonstrated its religiously hostile nature. Overall, since this case meets the parameters of a religiously driven hate crime, it is being added to the hate crime database of the Hinduphobia Tracker.