Hindu religious invocation defaced; ‘Ram’ deliberately erased from multiple key chains by Muslim shopkeepers
Thane, Maharashtra, India 
4 November, 2026
Case Summary
In Mumbra, Thane district, Maharashtra, two Muslim shopkeepers, Mohammad Zubair Qureshi and Mohammad Naushad Qureshi, were found selling key chains bearing the Hindu religious slogan ‘Jai Shri Ram’, where the word ‘Ram’ had been deliberately cut out or erased from them. The key chains were being sold at a shop named Delhi Makeup Bazaar, owned by Mohammad Zubair Qureshi. The matter came to light after local residents noticed that the religious slogan had been altered on the key chains. Activists of Hindu organisations visited the shop, questioned the shopkeepers about the altered key chains and brought the matter to the attention of the police. Following the complaint by Hindu organisations, Mumbra Police registered an FIR against Mohammad Zubair Qureshi and Mohammad Naushad Qureshi under Section 299 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings. Hindu residents and activists demanded a thorough investigation into the incident.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category of - Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within it, the sub-category selected here is - Desecration of Hindu religious symbols. 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 incident constituted a hate crime because it involved the deliberate defacement of a religious expression closely associated with Hindu identity and devotion. ‘Jai Shri Ram’ is not merely a decorative phrase or an ordinary combination of words. It is a sacred Hindu invocation expressing reverence towards Bhagwan Shri Ram, one of the most widely worshipped deities in Hinduism. The deliberate removal of the word ‘Ram’ from objects bearing this invocation therefore carried religious significance. It targeted the very element that gave the phrase its devotional meaning and reduced an expression of Hindu faith to a defaced and incomplete slogan. Such an act went beyond ordinary commercial activity or the alteration of merchandise and involved the desecration of a recognisable Hindu religious expression. The deliberate nature of the alteration was particularly significant because the word ‘Ram’ was not removed from just one key chain but from multiple key chains. While the defacement of a single item could potentially have been dismissed as accidental damage or an isolated occurrence, the repeated removal of the same religious reference from several key chains demonstrated a consistent and deliberate pattern. The fact that the word ‘Ram’ was selectively removed while the remaining words ‘Jai Shri’ were retained demonstrated that the alteration was specifically directed at the name of the Hindu deity rather than being random damage to the merchandise. This repetition strengthened the inference that the act was intentional and that the Hindu religious significance of the invocation was the very object of the alteration. ‘Jai Shri Ram’ is a widely recognised expression of Hindu religious identity, and its deliberate mutilation was an act of hostility towards the faith and the community associated with it. Religious expressions and symbols were important means through which communities practised, expressed and affirmed their identities. Deliberately targeting such expressions communicated disrespect towards the beliefs they represented and created an environment in which Hindu religious identity was treated as something to be ridiculed or denigrated. The public and commercial context in which the altered key chains were being sold further heightened the significance of the conduct, as it involved the circulation of objects carrying a defaced Hindu religious invocation rather than an isolated private act. Such conduct stems from Islamic theology, which regards idol worship, referred to as Shirk, as a grave sin, and Islamic teachings reject practices associated with idol worship. When Hindu deities are publicly mocked on this basis, such conduct can reflect theological contempt towards Hindu practices and target the beliefs, identity and dignity of Hindus. Therefore, in this case, this theological opposition, manifested through the deliberate defacement or denigration of Hindu religious expressions and the names of revered Hindu deities, reflects contempt towards Hindu beliefs and practices. Such conduct goes beyond a theological disagreement between religions, as there was a deliberate targeting of Hindu religious symbols, thereby undermining the dignity of the Hindu community and its right to express and practise its faith without hostility. Disclaimer: The Hinduphobia Tracker records incidents based on when an event occurred or when the victim's ordeal began. It is important to clarify that none of the media sources covering this case has specified the exact date when the incident occurred. Therefore, for documentation purposes, we have recorded the date based on when the incident was reported in the media, 5 November 2026.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
