Hindu religious sentiments outraged as miscreants attempt to vandalise idol of Hindu deity during Ganesh Chaturthi event in Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh

Case ID : 30aaa29 | Location : Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh, India | Date of Incident : Sun, 13 September, 2026

Case ID : 30aaa29

Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh, India

13 September, 2026

Hindu religious sentiments outraged as miscreants attempt to vandalise idol of Hindu deity during Ganesh Chaturthi event in Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh

Attack on Hindu religious representations

Desecration of Hindu religious symbol

Attack not resulting in death

Attacked for opposing radicals or trying to save victim

Case Summary

A Ganesh Chaturthi event in the Kosma area of Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh, faced severe disruption when miscreants under the influence of alcohol created a ruckus and attempted to vandalise the idol of Lord Ganesha. One of the perpetrators, identified as Yash Pratap, used foul language at the religious site and subsequently assaulted Hindu organiser Sumit Srivastava, snatching his mobile phone. The incident unfolded on 14th September 2026, when Sumit Srivastava’s social welfare organisation hosted the religious gathering. Yash Pratap and his associates arrived at the venue under the influence of alcohol, disrupting the proceedings and attempting to desecrate the sacred idol. Following the confrontation at the religious site, the attendees dispersed. The miscreants then intercepted Srivastava near the Bhogaon bus stand, subjecting him to physical violence and stealing his mobile device. During the confrontation, the miscreants issued severe threats against the Hindu organiser. They explicitly warned Srivastava that any attempt to notify law enforcement regarding the vandalism or the assault would result in a fabricated molestation case being filed against him to ensure his imprisonment. To address the targeted violence and the attempted desecration of the Hindu deity, Srivastava submitted a formal written complaint to the Senior Superintendent of Police in Mainpuri. He requested a thorough investigation utilising CCTV and witness testimonies to ensure strict legal action against the perpetrators and prevent future disruptions of Hindu religious events.

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. The second primary category selected in this case is Attack not resulting in death. The subcategory selected is: Attacked for opposing radicals or trying to save victim. In several cases, Hindus are attacked for opposing religiously motivated crimes being committed against a fellow Hindu or simply for voicing an opinion opposing radical elements, who either have in the past or continue to persecute Hindus. In such cases, the initial attack against the victim, against which the Hindu was trying to defend the victim, would also need to be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime. Since the initial crime itself was religiously motivated and the subsequent crime of attempting to save the victim or speaking against the radical elements ends up inviting a violent attack, it would also be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. The attempted destruction of the Lord Ganesha idol during a major festival served as the primary religious marker. Because physical representations like murtis held sacred importance and formed the centre of prayers and rituals in Hinduism, targeting this specific idol demonstrated direct hatred towards the faith itself. The hostility at the venue went beyond a simple public disturbance. The perpetrators directed foul language at the revered deity and tried to physically break the sacred idol. This deliberate focus on the spiritual centre of the event showed a clear intent to insult the Hindu religion and violate the sacred space of the gathered devotees. The physical assault on the Hindu organiser acted as the second religious marker. The attackers targeted the victim specifically because he hosted the religious gathering and facilitated the community's worship. This violence did not stem from a personal dispute, but was a direct continuation of the hostility shown towards the Hindu festival. By beating the victim and threatening him with false criminal charges to stop him from contacting the police, the attackers tried to silence him. Harming a Hindu devotee for standing up against a religiously motivated offence confirmed that the assault was also driven by religious animosity. Disclaimer: While Yash Pratap is the only perpetrator explicitly named, the official complaint also refers to "his associates" and "companions". However, it does not specify exactly how many additional individuals were involved. Therefore, the current entry records only the single verified individual. This information will be updated if official investigations confirm the exact number or identities of the other perpetrators.