Durga Puja pandal targeted and looted, idol of Goddess Durga set on fire in Golaghat, Assam
Golaghat, Assam, India 
4 September, 2026
Case Summary
In Barpathar, Golaghat district, Assam, a Durga Puja pandal was targeted and looted, and the idols of Goddess Durga and other deities were set on fire by a miscreant. According to media reports, the incident occurred on the night of September 5, 2026, at Matikhola Barowari Puja Mandap in Barpathar, just weeks before the Durga Puja festival. The miscreant broke the lock of the gate of the puja pandal before setting the idol of Goddess Durga on fire. He then looted cash kept inside the donation box and fled the spot. Police reached the spot after the incident and launched an investigation. According to a police statement in a video, the accused was identified with the help of closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage and was arrested in connection with the theft from the donation box. The accused was identified as Deben Dutta. As the incident came to light, it caused deep hurt among members of the local Hindu community, who called for action against the perpetrator and said that the burning and destruction of the idols of Goddess Durga had hurt their religious sentiments. At the time of writing this report, further investigation was underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the theft and burning of the idols.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case is being added to the tracker under the primary category: 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 other subcategory selected is: Violence against religious structures or centres. In Hinduism, a religious structure is also considered divine. Hindus believe that not just the Deity but the religious structure itself is sacred. In this sub-category, we would document attacks against religious structures which are not consecrated temple spaces. Such religious spaces could be temporary in nature – for example – the religious spaces erected specifically for festivals like Durga Puja etc. This category would also document cases of attacks against religious centres. These spaces in their own right may not be ‘sacred’ per se, however, are often spaces where religious gurus live, religious teaching is imparted, or belong to religious institutions. Any attack against religious structures is a result of animosity towards the religion itself, which manifests itself through the religious spaces and therefore, such attacks are considered religiously motivated hate crimes. Religious centres are also manifestations of the religion, its teachings or gurus and therefore, attacks against such centres would be considered religiously motivated hate crimes. This case was a clear example of a religiously driven hate crime, as the perpetrator set fire to an idol of Goddess Durga inside a Durga Puja pandal in Assam. In Hinduism, idols of deities are sacred representations through which devotees worship and offer prayers to the divine. They hold deep religious significance and are an integral part of Hindu worship and religious observances. Durga Puja is one of the most significant Hindu festivals dedicated to Goddess Durga and commemorates her victory over the demon Mahishasura, symbolising the triumph of good over evil. The idol of Goddess Durga is the central object of worship during the festival and is treated with reverence by devotees. Setting it on fire therefore amounted to the desecration of a sacred religious symbol and constituted an attack on Hindu faith, customs and religious sentiments. The destruction of an idol specifically prepared for a major Hindu festival also directly violated the religious practices and traditions associated with Durga Puja. As the idol was set on fire inside a Durga Puja pandal, the act also targeted the sacred setting in which the festival was to be observed. The idol and the pandal together form an integral part of the religious environment in which devotees gather to worship and celebrate Durga Puja. Destroying the idol within the pandal therefore violated the sanctity of a Hindu place of worship and disrupted the religious setting associated with the festival, further demonstrating the nature of the offence. The attack took place just weeks before Durga Puja and targeted an idol that had been prepared for the upcoming festival. By setting the idol on fire before the celebrations, the perpetrator disrupted preparations, created obstacles for devotees and desecrated an object central to the festival, directly interfering with the religious observances and customs associated with Durga Puja. The incident formed part of a recurring pattern of attacks targeting Durga Puja celebrations. Between January 1, 2023, and September 7, 2026, the Hinduphobia Tracker documented 82 such cases, involving attacks on Hindu religious processions, Durga Puja idols and pandals. The repeated occurrence of these incidents demonstrated sustained hostility towards Hindu religious symbols and celebrations, establishing that the present case was not an isolated incident and further supporting its classification as a hate crime. Since this case met the parameters of a religiously driven offence, it was added to the hate crime database of the Hinduphobia Tracker.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
