Revered Hindu sage Maharishi Valmiki’s statue desecrated and thrown into a drain at Khadauli temple, Meerut
Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India 
18 October, 2026
Case Summary
In Khadauli village, near Holi Chowk in Meerut district, Uttar Pradesh, people uprooted the statue of revered Hindu sage Maharishi Valmiki, installed on a temple platform, and threw it into a drain overnight between 19 and 20 October 2026. Removing the statue from the religious site sparked anger among members of the Hindu community. The incident came to light on the morning of 20 October 2026, when Gaurav, a resident, found the statue lying in the drain and informed the police. After the discovery, residents searched the surrounding area, retrieved the statue from near the drain, washed it, and returned it to the temple platform. The incident sparked anger and a confrontation between the two sides, causing a commotion at the site. Gaurav said another statue would be installed in the presence of the police to ensure the process took place under their supervision. After the incident, police personnel from Kankarkhera police station reached the site and took action. Circle Officer (CO) Daurala, Shiv Thakur, said Ajay uprooted the statue from its original position and threw it into a drain. The Kankarkhera police had arrested two individuals, Vansh and Arun, in connection with the incident. The statue's removal also prompted a strong response from Kshatriya Karni Sena, which demanded accountability and swift action from the police administration. The organisation’s Meerut district president, Vishal Rajput, called for an impartial investigation, the prompt arrest of those responsible and strict legal action. He described the incident as serious and said the administration had assured the organisation it would act within 24 hours. Kshatriya Karni Sena warned that if the administration failed to act within the stipulated period, its members would take to the streets and organise a peaceful protest. The organisation urged authorities to act promptly and ensure a fair resolution. The incident occurred amid a longstanding land dispute between two sides within the Valmiki community, identified as the Gyanwati side and the Phoolwati side. The statue and temple were situated on land near Holi Chowk that belonged to the Municipal Corporation (Nagar Nigam). According to CO Daurala Shiv Thakur, Gyanwati’s side asserted its rights over the disputed land, while Phoolwati’s side installed a statue of Maharishi Valmiki and built a temple there. The officer also stated that Gyanwati’s side had previously obtained a court order directing the parties to maintain the status quo on the land. Gaurav stated that Amarjeet and his sister, Gyanwati, wanted to take possession of the disputed land and were attempting to enclose it by constructing a boundary wall. Ajay, Amarjeet’s son, was identified as the person who removed the statue between 19 and 20 October 2026. Kankarkhera police arrested two other individuals, Vansh and Arun, in connection with the incident. The dispute centred on competing claims over possession and use of the land, with one side asserting its rights and the other claiming it had established a temple.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The primary category selected in this case is: Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within this, 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, as a revered Hindu sage, Maharishi Valmiki's statue was uprooted and thrown into a drain. This constitutes a grave act of desecration and an affront to Hindu religious and cultural heritage. Maharishi Valmiki holds profound spiritual significance in Hinduism, and his legacy remains deeply embedded in Hindu scriptures, religious teachings, and civilisational identity. Throwing his statue into a drain represents a degrading and deeply disrespectful treatment of a revered Hindu figure, reducing a symbol of spiritual wisdom and sacred tradition to an object of contempt. Such conduct strikes at the dignity of a figure whom Hindus honour for his immense contribution to their religious heritage and demonstrates blatant disregard for the reverence associated with Hindu spiritual icons. The act goes far beyond ordinary vandalism as it involves the degrading treatment of a representation of a revered Hindu sage and directly affects the religious sentiments, cultural pride and spiritual identity of the Hindu community. Some may argue that the incident stemmed from a land dispute, but no property dispute can justify uprooting the statue of Maharishi Valmiki, a revered Hindu sage, and throwing it into a drain. Such degrading treatment constitutes a grave affront to religious reverence, cultural dignity and spiritual heritage. The manner in which the statue was discarded amounted to a humiliating act of denigration against a revered Hindu figure, making the conduct deeply offensive to the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. Whatever the underlying dispute, there was no justification for subjecting a symbol of Hindu spiritual heritage to such degrading treatment, and the act itself provides grounds for serious concern that the dignity of a revered Hindu figure was deliberately disregarded. Accordingly, this case has been documented in the Hinduphobia Tracker's Hate Crime Database as an instance of religiously motivated hostility directed against Hinduism and the religious identity of the Hindu community.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
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