Sacred idol of revered Hindu goddess vandalised in Telangana’s Mahabubabad
Mahabubabad, Telangana, India 
9 October, 2026
Case Summary
A sacred idol of Goddess Gauri, a revered Hindu goddess, was vandalised by unidentified miscreants in Datla village, Dhanthapalli mandal, Mahabubabad district, Telangana. The miscreants pelted the idol with stones, severely damaging it and causing it to lose its original shape. The idol had been installed for the annual Bathukamma festival. Notably, Bathukamma is a major Hindu festival of Telangana, celebrated primarily by Hindu women to honour the divine feminine. The festival involves arranging flowers in distinctive tiers, offering prayers and participating in traditional songs and community celebrations. It holds considerable religious and cultural significance and is regarded as an integral part of Telangana's cultural identity. According to media reports, the incident occurred under the pretext of political rivalry in the village. Sarpanch Manjula Ravi had installed the idol of Goddess Gauri on the outskirts of the village for the annual Bathukamma celebrations, during which women and girls traditionally gather near the idol to participate in the festivities. Amid the political factionalism prevailing in the village, unidentified miscreants vandalised the idol, directing their anger towards the sarpanch's family. Along with the idol, they also broke the stone plaque bearing the name of village sarpanch Manjula Ravi, which had been installed at its base. The incident triggered widespread anger among Hindu villagers, particularly as Hindu women and girls across Telangana were preparing for the Engili Pula Bathukamma celebrations. The villagers condemned the desecration as an attack on the self-respect of Hindu women and girls and demanded that the perpetrators responsible for vandalising the sacred idol be identified and severely punished.
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. This incident constituted a religiously driven hate crime, as a sacred idol of Goddess Gauri was vandalised by unidentified miscreants. Hindu idols are sacred representations of deities and serve as focal points of worship, devotion and spiritual practice, embodying the divine presence for devotees. Goddess Gauri, a form of Goddess Parvati, is revered in Hinduism as a manifestation of the divine feminine and is associated with auspiciousness, devotion and feminine power. The idol had been installed for Bathukamma, a major Hindu festival celebrated primarily by Hindu women in Telangana to honour the divine feminine through floral arrangements, prayers, devotional songs and community festivities. The festival reflects Hindu religious traditions centred on the worship of the goddess and provides devotees with an opportunity to express their faith through collective rituals and acts of devotion. It holds profound religious significance for the Hindu community, with the worship of the goddess and observance of the festival forming an important part of Hindu religious and cultural life. The deliberate destruction of the idol amounted to the desecration of a sacred Hindu religious symbol. By pelting the idol with stones, the perpetrators damaged an object of worship associated with a revered Hindu goddess and violated its religious sanctity. Such an act went beyond ordinary property damage, striking at the faith and religious sentiments of Hindu devotees. The deliberate targeting of a sacred Hindu idol demonstrated disregard for Hindu religious sentiments and reflected hostility towards Hinduism. The available information indicated that the incident occurred under the pretext of political rivalry in the village. However, political disagreements did not justify targeting a sacred Hindu idol, as disputes could have been expressed through other means. Even if political rivalry was the primary motive, the decision to desecrate a religious symbol demonstrated disregard for Hindu beliefs and the sentiments of the community. The purported political context did not negate the religious significance of the act or its impact on Hindu devotees. The timing further aggravated the incident, as it occurred before the Bathukamma celebrations, while Hindu women and girls across Telangana were preparing for the festival, including the Engili Pula Bathukamma observance. The idol had been installed specifically for these festivities, and its destruction disrupted a focal point of collective worship during a deeply revered Hindu festival. Desecrating the idol at this time hurt devotees' religious sentiments and undermined the sanctity of a tradition central to Telangana's Hindu community. At the time of documentation, the identities of the perpetrators remained unknown. Nevertheless, the deliberate desecration of a sacred Hindu idol demonstrated hostility towards Hinduism and the Hindu community. Therefore, this case is being recorded in the hate crime database of the Hinduphobia Tracker. Disclaimer: Hinduphobia Tracker records incident dates based on when the crime occurred, rather than when it was reported by the media. However, in this case, media reports did not specify the exact date on which the crime occurred. The incident was reported by the media on 10 October 2026. Hence, 10 October 2026 has been selected as the indicative incident date for documentation purposes only.
Case Status
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Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
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Perpetrators Gender
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