Navratri celebrations compromised as 22 non-Hindus enter Garba event in Hyderabad, Telangana
Hyderabad, Telangana, India 
14 October, 2026
Case Summary
In Begumpet, Hyderabad, Telangana, Navratri celebrations were disrupted after 22 non-Hindu individuals entered a Garba and Dandiya event and participated in the festivities. The incident took place on the night of 15 October 2026 and led to a confrontation between the attendees and members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal. The incident came to light after members of the Telangana Bajrang Dal received information about the presence of non-Hindu individuals at the Garba and Dandiya event held at the Hockey Grounds in Hyderabad. Acting on the information, VHP and Bajrang Dal workers reached the venue, where they found 22 non-Hindu individuals participating in the celebrations. Some of these individuals were playing Dandiya with Hindu women attending the event, while others were recording videos of women. The organisation's members questioned the individuals about their presence at the venue and sought to establish their identities. The confrontation escalated when some of the individuals attempted to assault the workers during the questioning. This resulted in a physical altercation between the two groups. Subsequently, VHP and Bajrang Dal workers handed the individuals over to the police and lodged a formal complaint regarding the incident. The controversy came against the backdrop of previous objections raised by the VHP and Bajrang Dal over the participation of non-Hindus in Dandiya events across Telangana. The organisations had earlier submitted memoranda to the Telangana Police, demanding that non-Hindus be prohibited from attending such Hindu religious programmes. They had also appealed to event organisers to restrict their entry, arguing that Navratri was primarily a Hindu religious festival. Following the confrontation, the Begumpet Police reached the Hockey Grounds and brought the situation under control. A police official confirmed that an investigation into the incident was underway.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case is being documented in the Undecided database of the Hinduphobia Tracker because 22 non-Hindu individuals entered a Garba and Dandiya event organised during Navratri. Navratri is a sacred Hindu religious observance dedicated to Goddess Durga and her nine forms. Garba and Dandiya, traditionally performed during Navratri, are devotional dances through which devotees express their reverence for the Goddess. These celebrations are rooted in Hindu religious traditions and are not merely entertainment events or ordinary social gatherings. They form an integral part of Hindu religious and cultural observances, with devotees gathering to celebrate and express their faith. Hindu communities therefore have an interest in preserving the religious character of these gatherings and ensuring that the customs and traditions associated with them are respected. The participation of individuals outside the faith, particularly when an event is organised specifically for Hindu devotees, consequently become a matter of concern for the organisers and the community. The presence of non-Hindu individuals at Garba events also needs to be viewed in the context of the wider pattern of targeting of such celebrations documented by the Hinduphobia Tracker. Between 1 January 2023 and 29 October 2026, the Tracker documented 26 incidents in which Garba events were targeted. In 13 of these incidents, Muslim perpetrators had concealed their religious identities and pretended to be Hindus to gain entry into Garba events. Several cases involved Hindu women being molested or sexually assaulted during these gatherings. This documented pattern has contributed to apprehension within Hindu communities regarding the presence of non-Hindu individuals at Garba celebrations, particularly where concerns arise over identity concealment, the recording of women or inappropriate conduct towards Hindu female attendees. In the present case, the presence of 22 non-Hindu individuals, some of whom were found recording videos of women, prompted objections from Hindu activists. However, the available information does not establish that these individuals concealed their religious identities, that the recordings were made with an intention to harass or target Hindu women, or that they entered the venue with the intention of disrupting the religious observance. Hindu communities have a legitimate interest in preserving their religious traditions and maintaining the sanctity of gatherings organised as part of their religious observances. The VHP and Bajrang Dal had previously approached the Telangana Police and event organisers, seeking restrictions on the participation of non-Hindus in Dandiya programmes. Their objections in the present case must be understood in the context of these concerns and the wider pattern of incidents involving the targeting of Garba events. Nevertheless, the religious identity of the attendees and their participation in a Hindu religious celebration, by themselves, do not establish religious hostility or an intention to desecrate Hindu traditions. Similarly, the act of recording women, without further information about the circumstances or purpose of the recordings, does not conclusively establish that the individuals intended to harass or target them on religious grounds. The available information also does not establish that the confrontation was initiated as part of a deliberate attempt to disrupt the religious festivities. The Hinduphobia Tracker follows strict parameters when documenting an incident as a religiously motivated hate crime. While the presence of non-Hindu individuals at a Hindu religious celebration, the objections raised by Hindu activists and the concerns surrounding the recording of women warrant documentation, the available evidence in this case does not establish a clear religious motive behind the conduct of the individuals concerned. Consequently, the incident does not currently meet the criteria for inclusion in the Tracker's confirmed hate crime database and will remain in the Undecided database. If further information emerges establishing that the individuals entered the venue with the intention of targeting Hindu women, disrupting the religious observance or acting out of religious hostility towards Hindus, the case will be reassessed and will be transferred to the hate crime database.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
From 10 to 100
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
